The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
#22 Southern Miss
USM Pulls Away to Take Series Versus UAB
5/13/2017 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
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HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The UAB baseball team dropped the middle game of the weekend series at No. 22 Southern Miss on Saturday afternoon. The Golden Eagles won 9-4 to improve to 39-12 overall and 21-5 in Conference USA. The Blazers now stand at 23-28 overall and 8-18 in conference.
“Bottom line is they’re a good hitting team and we couldn’t get them out again,” said UAB head coach Brian Shoop. “On top of that, we made a lot of mistakes today. It’s a sign of a frustrated, discouraged team, which would describe us right now.”
The two teams traded early runs as Southern Miss took a brief lead in the opening inning before scored after back-to-back, two-out hits in the second. Price Visintainer singled up the middle on a 1-2 count and advanced to second on a passed ball. Antonio Ralat followed with a double off the left field wall to knot the score up at 1-1.
A similar situation occurred across the third and fourth frames. The Golden Eagles moved back ahead on a groundout with a pair in scoring position and nobody away and the Blazers followed with a nearly identical situation. UAB put runners in scoring position with nobody out and two batters later, Visintainer’s sacrifice fly to right field scored Pierce Ressmeyer and the game was tied 2-2.
USM took the lead for good with back-to-back innings. The Golden Eagles totaled seven runs across the bottom of the fourth and fifth innings off six hits. Two wild pitches and a double steal also aided the home team across the two frames.
Ralat provided a big swing in the top of the seventh inning. The shortstop belted one off the left centerfield scoreboard for a two-run home run with Visintainer scoring for the second time off a Ralat hit. For the sophomore Puerto Rican, it was his third home run of the season, tied for the second-most on the team.
Neither squad registered a hit in the final inning and a half as USM won by the final score of 9-4.
Southern Miss outhit UAB 15-7 while each team committed one error in the field.
Starter Carson Jones took the loss for UAB. The junior last 3.2 innings and was charged with nine hits, five runs, no walks, and a pair of strikeouts. Jones’ record is 3-4 this year.
Ryan Ruggles was strong as the last pitcher in relief for the Blazers. The junior threw three scoreless frames and struck out five while giving up four hits and no walks.
Kirk McCarty picked up the win for Southern Miss. The junior sits at 8-2 after throwing six innings and allowing five hits, two runs, one earned, and striking out seven batters.
Ralat tallied two hits across four at-bats with one run and setting a new career-high with three RBI. He had a pair of extra-base hits in the game with the home run and a double.
Visintainer’s two scores coupled with a 1-for-3 day at the plate and one RBI.
The series finale will occur tomorrow starting at 1 p.m. The Blazers will throw Austin Thomas while the Golden Eagles will run out right-hander Taylor Braley.
For more information on the UAB baseball team, follow the Blazers on Twitter (@UAB_Baseball). For more on all Blazer sports teams follow the official social media accounts of UAB Athletics on Twitter (@UAB_Athletics), on Facebook (Facebook.com/UAB.Blazers), on Instagram (@uab_athletics) or on Snapchat (@uabathletics).
