The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Friday, March 16
Charleston, W.Va.
3:00 P.M.
UAB
7-9, 0
5
at
2
Marshall
10-5, 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
UAB
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
3
5
8
0
Marshall
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
2
4
3
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Jones, Carson (1-1)
L: Shapiro (1-1)
Batting:
2B: Visintainer, Price 1
RBI: Visintainer, Price 1 ; Tolbert, Tyler 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Schultz, Colton 2 ; Dobbs, Stephen 1 ; Ralat, Antonio 1 ; Tolbert, Tyler 1
HBP: Pharis, Carter 1
Batting:
RBI: Ray 1
SH: Blanton 1
SF: Ray 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Blanton 1 ; Zban 1
HBP: Blanton 1 ; Zban 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
1
H
3
RBI
2
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
AB
5
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Baseball
C/3B
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
1B/3B
/ Baseball
SS
/ BaseballOF/1B
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball3B
/ Baseball
Three Run Ninth Inning Propels Blazers to Win in C-USA Opener
3/16/2018 10:40:00 PM | Baseball
Charleston, W. Va. – A three-run ninth inning broke open a 2-2 tie and the UAB baseball team held off Marshall for a 5-2 win in the Conference USA opener for both teams at Appalachian Power Park.
Tyler Tolbert (3-for-4, two RBI) provided the late heroics when the sophomore center fielder laced a 2-2 pitch to left field, scoring Colton Schultz, who led off the inning with an infield single. An errant throw into left field on the same play brought home Antonio Ralat – who reached via a bunt single – and Tolbert motored home closely behind to cross the plate for the game's final run.
"I am just happy for the kids, we have been in a struggle," head coach Brian Shoop said. "It was a typical Conference USA game; they are close, they are hard fought, everybody is similar. I am just happy for our kids to taste a win."
UAB (7-9 overall, 1-0 C-USA) jumped to a 2-0 lead in the seventh inning on the heels of timely hitting from Tolbert and Price Visintainer.
Schultz led off the seventh with an infield single and Stephen Dobbs followed with a four-pitch walk. Tolbert then stepped in two batters later and laced a pitch past the diving Thundering Herd shortstop to drive in Schultz, while Visintainer followed up with an RBI double to right center.
Marshall (10-5, 0-1) evened the score in the bottom of the eighth courtesy of a wild pitch and sacrifice fly. Threatening to widen the gap with men on first and third with two outs, Tolbert tracked a pitch hit to right center, and, with his body fully extended, snagged the ball for the frame's final out.
"Tyler Tolbert – that play is unbelievable, that's a game-saver, because two runs score if he doesn't make that play; and he gets the game-winner too, so a big day for him" Shoop said. "But again, I am just happy for our kids, to see them be able to celebrate at the end of the night."
Starting pitcher Tanner Graham battled through trouble in the first and sixth innings to keep the potent Thundering Herd offense at bay, striking out seven across 5.2 innings while only yielding two hits.
"Tanner was great and kept us in it" Shoop said.
The UAB defense provided more highlights in the bottom of the ninth, as left fielder Cole Collins executed a double play via another SportsCenter-worthy catch that the junior relayed to Blake Johnson who then fired to Carter Pharis to double off the runner from first.
Relievers Ty Harris and Carson Jones combined for two hits in 3.1 innings of relief, as Jones earned his first win of the season.
Schultz joined Tolbert in the multiple-hit category with a 2-for-4 outing.
Weather permitting, first pitch Saturday is scheduled for 2 p.m. CST from Appalachian Power Park.
For more information on the UAB baseball team follow @UAB_Baseball on Twitter and Instagram.
Tyler Tolbert (3-for-4, two RBI) provided the late heroics when the sophomore center fielder laced a 2-2 pitch to left field, scoring Colton Schultz, who led off the inning with an infield single. An errant throw into left field on the same play brought home Antonio Ralat – who reached via a bunt single – and Tolbert motored home closely behind to cross the plate for the game's final run.
"I am just happy for the kids, we have been in a struggle," head coach Brian Shoop said. "It was a typical Conference USA game; they are close, they are hard fought, everybody is similar. I am just happy for our kids to taste a win."
UAB (7-9 overall, 1-0 C-USA) jumped to a 2-0 lead in the seventh inning on the heels of timely hitting from Tolbert and Price Visintainer.
Schultz led off the seventh with an infield single and Stephen Dobbs followed with a four-pitch walk. Tolbert then stepped in two batters later and laced a pitch past the diving Thundering Herd shortstop to drive in Schultz, while Visintainer followed up with an RBI double to right center.
Marshall (10-5, 0-1) evened the score in the bottom of the eighth courtesy of a wild pitch and sacrifice fly. Threatening to widen the gap with men on first and third with two outs, Tolbert tracked a pitch hit to right center, and, with his body fully extended, snagged the ball for the frame's final out.
"Tyler Tolbert – that play is unbelievable, that's a game-saver, because two runs score if he doesn't make that play; and he gets the game-winner too, so a big day for him" Shoop said. "But again, I am just happy for our kids, to see them be able to celebrate at the end of the night."
Starting pitcher Tanner Graham battled through trouble in the first and sixth innings to keep the potent Thundering Herd offense at bay, striking out seven across 5.2 innings while only yielding two hits.
"Tanner was great and kept us in it" Shoop said.
The UAB defense provided more highlights in the bottom of the ninth, as left fielder Cole Collins executed a double play via another SportsCenter-worthy catch that the junior relayed to Blake Johnson who then fired to Carter Pharis to double off the runner from first.
Relievers Ty Harris and Carson Jones combined for two hits in 3.1 innings of relief, as Jones earned his first win of the season.
Schultz joined Tolbert in the multiple-hit category with a 2-for-4 outing.
Weather permitting, first pitch Saturday is scheduled for 2 p.m. CST from Appalachian Power Park.
For more information on the UAB baseball team follow @UAB_Baseball on Twitter and Instagram.
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