The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Friday, February 16
Regions Field
4:00 P.M.
UAB
1-0
4
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3
Bowling Green
0-1
1
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3
4
5
6
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8
9
R
H
E
Bowling Green
3
0
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3
8
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UAB
1
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1
1
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X
4
9
2
Blazers Rally to Pick Up Win on Opening Day
2/16/2018 8:40:00 PM | Baseball
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The UAB baseball team overcame a three-run first inning deficit to defeat Bowling Green 4-3 on Friday night at Regions Field.
"Bowling Green played an incredibly clean game for not having been able to practice outside this season," head coach Brian Shoop said.
Bowling Green jumped on the board in the first inning plating all three of its runs on three hits and one error by the Blazers.
UAB cut into the lead in the first inning as Price Visintainer knocked a one out single before Colton Schultz singled down the right field line moving Visintainer to third. Carter Pharis strung together the Blazers' third consecutive hit scoring Vistintainer and putting the game at 3-1.
The Blazers' second run of the game came in the third inning after Tyler Tolbert single to right center and stole second on the next play. Schultz lined out to the right fielder but Visintainer, who reached on a hit by pitch, got caught in a pickle allowing Tolbert to score from second and made the game 3-2.
UAB tied the game at three in the fourth inning following a single to right field from Antonio Ralat scoring Zack Davis who doubled down the right field line.
Bowling Green's final chance of the game came in the seventh inning when it got runners on first and second with one out before Riley Minorik hit into a game saving 5-4-3 double play getting the Blazers out of the jam.
"The double play that Price started and Carter turned was really good and a huge play for us in a big moment," Shoop said. "That play gave us a chance."
Going into the bottom of the eighth tied at three, Pharis drew a lead off walk before Brett Blackwood layed down a sacrifice bunt moving Pharis to second base. Thomas Johns stepped up the plate and hit a hard ground ball at the Falcon's second baseman that he overthrew on the toss to first allowing Johns to reach on the error and Pharis to score the winning run making the game its final score of 4-3.
Tanner Graham received the starting nod on the mound for the Green and Gold spanning 5.0 innings with six hits and a career high nine strikeouts.
"Tanner regathered himself tremendously after the first inning and there was no panic from him," Shoop said.
Ty Harris made his UAB debut coming in in the sixth inning in relief for Graham. Harris threw two innings allowing two hits and no runs.
Isaiah Gonzales-Montoya was credited with the win after entering the game in the top of the eighth throwing two perfect innings with two strikeouts.
Offensively, Visintainer and Ralat picked up a team-high two hits. For Ralat it was his 16th multi-hit game of his career and Visintainer's 12th.
"Bowling Green's starting pitcher did not walk a guy and the team didn't give up an error until the eighth," Shoop said. "They made it tough to score but we stood in and had some really good at bats."
The series continues on Saturday with the two teams squaring off at 1 p.m. from Regions Field.
"Tonight's wasn't beautiful but we are happy with a win," Shoop said. "The crazy thing about baseball is that with 56 games whether you win or lose you better put it away quickly and get back to work."
For more information on the UAB baseball team follow the Blazers on Twitter (@UAB_Baseball) or on Instagram (UAB_Baseball).
"Bowling Green played an incredibly clean game for not having been able to practice outside this season," head coach Brian Shoop said.
Bowling Green jumped on the board in the first inning plating all three of its runs on three hits and one error by the Blazers.
UAB cut into the lead in the first inning as Price Visintainer knocked a one out single before Colton Schultz singled down the right field line moving Visintainer to third. Carter Pharis strung together the Blazers' third consecutive hit scoring Vistintainer and putting the game at 3-1.
The Blazers' second run of the game came in the third inning after Tyler Tolbert single to right center and stole second on the next play. Schultz lined out to the right fielder but Visintainer, who reached on a hit by pitch, got caught in a pickle allowing Tolbert to score from second and made the game 3-2.
UAB tied the game at three in the fourth inning following a single to right field from Antonio Ralat scoring Zack Davis who doubled down the right field line.
Bowling Green's final chance of the game came in the seventh inning when it got runners on first and second with one out before Riley Minorik hit into a game saving 5-4-3 double play getting the Blazers out of the jam.
"The double play that Price started and Carter turned was really good and a huge play for us in a big moment," Shoop said. "That play gave us a chance."
Going into the bottom of the eighth tied at three, Pharis drew a lead off walk before Brett Blackwood layed down a sacrifice bunt moving Pharis to second base. Thomas Johns stepped up the plate and hit a hard ground ball at the Falcon's second baseman that he overthrew on the toss to first allowing Johns to reach on the error and Pharis to score the winning run making the game its final score of 4-3.
Tanner Graham received the starting nod on the mound for the Green and Gold spanning 5.0 innings with six hits and a career high nine strikeouts.
"Tanner regathered himself tremendously after the first inning and there was no panic from him," Shoop said.
Ty Harris made his UAB debut coming in in the sixth inning in relief for Graham. Harris threw two innings allowing two hits and no runs.
Isaiah Gonzales-Montoya was credited with the win after entering the game in the top of the eighth throwing two perfect innings with two strikeouts.
Offensively, Visintainer and Ralat picked up a team-high two hits. For Ralat it was his 16th multi-hit game of his career and Visintainer's 12th.
"Bowling Green's starting pitcher did not walk a guy and the team didn't give up an error until the eighth," Shoop said. "They made it tough to score but we stood in and had some really good at bats."
The series continues on Saturday with the two teams squaring off at 1 p.m. from Regions Field.
"Tonight's wasn't beautiful but we are happy with a win," Shoop said. "The crazy thing about baseball is that with 56 games whether you win or lose you better put it away quickly and get back to work."
For more information on the UAB baseball team follow the Blazers on Twitter (@UAB_Baseball) or on Instagram (UAB_Baseball).
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Gonzales-Montoya, Isaiah (1-0)
L: CROY, Brad (0-1)
Batting:
2B: WILSON, Jake 1 ; SCOTT, Jeff 1 ; DREWES, Derek 1 ; SUNTKEN, Ty 1
RBI: DREWES, Derek 2
Base Running:
RUNS: LAMBERT, Neil 1 ; WILSON, Jake 1 ; MCGUINNESS, Joe 1
Batting:
2B: Davis, Zack 1
RBI: Schultz, Colton 1 ; Pharis, Carter 1 ; Ralat, Antonio 1
SH: Blackwood, Brett 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Tolbert, Tyler 1 ; Visintainer, Price 1 ; Pharis, Carter 1 ; Davis, Zack 1
SB: Tolbert, Tyler 2 ; Visintainer, Price 1
HBP: Visintainer, Price 1 ; Davis, Zack 1
PO: Tolbert, Tyler 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
1B/DH
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RHP
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1B
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1B/3B
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/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball3B
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