The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Saturday, April 21
Regions Field
2:00 P.M.
UAB
17-20, 8-9
5
vs
0
WKU
18-20, 8-9
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
WKU
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
5
0
UAB
0
0
0
5
0
0
0
0
X
5
9
1
UAB Shutouts WKU In Game One, Falls In Game Two
4/21/2018 10:16:00 PM | Baseball
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The UAB baseball team took game one 5-0, but fell in game two, 8-5, of Saturday's doubleheader against WKU as the Hilltoppers earned the 2-1 series win.
Home Conference USA series have not been in UAB's favor this season as the Blazers have yet to win one and are 3-6 in league play in Birmingham.
"After an incredibly disappointing loss last night, we picked Tyler Gates to start game two today because he is one of the most mentally tough people I know," head coach Brian Shoop said. "Tyler gave us exactly what we needed in that great win."
Game One
A five-run fourth inning was all the Blazers needed as all of their runs came in the frame. Carter Pharis, Brett Blackwood and Stephen Dobbs all knocked consecutive singles as Dobbs hit his up the middle to score Pharis and give UAB a 1-0 lead.
A wild pitch moved Dobbs and Blackwood to second and third with one out before Price Visintainer hit a bases-clearing single to left field to extend the lead to 3-0.
Colton Schultz stepped up to the plate as the ninth batter of the inning and singled up the middle to score Tyler Tolbert and Cole Collins to secure the 5-0 victory.
Tyler Gates picked up the third win of his career as he threw a career-best 6.0 innings, while striking out a career-best five batters. Matthew Calvert earned the first save of his career as he went 3.0 innings, allowing just two hits and extending his scoreless-innings pitched streak to nine innings dating back to April 14.
Paul Kirkpatrick took the loss for the Hilltoppers, his third of the year.
Visintainer went 2-for-3 in the contest with a run scored and a career-high two RBI. Schultz also tacked on a pair of RBI, marking his 17th multi-RBI game of his career.
The shutout marked UAB's fourth of the season and second in C-USA play, but first since throwing one against Louisiana Tech on March 20.
Game Two
WKU struck first for the second time in the series as Nick Brunson hit a two RBI triple in the top of the second inning to give the Hilltoppers a 2-0 lead.
UAB responded in the bottom half of the fourth inning as Pharis hit his fourth home run of the season with a leadoff solo shot over the left field wall to cut the lead to 2-1.
One batter later, Dobbs doubled to right center before Visintainer continued his stellar day at the plate with a two-out double to score Dobbs and tie the game at 2-2.
The Hilltoppers answered in the sixth inning regaining, their two-run advantage as it pushed two runs across the plate on two hits to take a 4-2 lead.
The Blazers answered in the bottom half of the sixth inning when Zack Davis drew his second walk of the contest and Visintainer struck his fourth hit of the day to put two runners on-base for pinch hitterer Thomas Johns, who proceeded to lift one over the right field wall with his first home run of the season to give UAB a 5-4 lead.
Needing just three outs in the top of the ninth, UAB's late inning woes struck again as the Blazers allowed four Hilltopper runs to come across the plate as WKU took the game, 8-5, and the series, 2-1.
Ben Morrison (2-3) earned the win for WKU as the senior pitched 2.2 innings of no-hit baseball, issuing just one walk to four strikeouts. Ty Harris (1-3) took the loss for UAB as he faced two batters, giving up two runs on no hits.
Visintainer led the Blazers offensively in game two as well going 2-for-4 with a double and a RBI. The senior finished the day 4-for-7 with three runs scored and three RBI.
"Coming into the weekend, it was very important for us to sweep the doubleheader and we were three outs away from doing it, which makes it a heartbreak," Shoop said.
UAB will take the week off for finals before the road gets tough again with a trip to Boca Raton, Fla., to take on No. 25 Florida Atlantic. The Blazers and Owls will square off in a three-game series beginning Friday, April 27 at 5:30 p.m. CT.
For more information on the UAB baseball team follow the Blazers on Twitter (@UAB_Baseball) or on Instagram (UAB_Baseball).
Home Conference USA series have not been in UAB's favor this season as the Blazers have yet to win one and are 3-6 in league play in Birmingham.
"After an incredibly disappointing loss last night, we picked Tyler Gates to start game two today because he is one of the most mentally tough people I know," head coach Brian Shoop said. "Tyler gave us exactly what we needed in that great win."
Game One
A five-run fourth inning was all the Blazers needed as all of their runs came in the frame. Carter Pharis, Brett Blackwood and Stephen Dobbs all knocked consecutive singles as Dobbs hit his up the middle to score Pharis and give UAB a 1-0 lead.
A wild pitch moved Dobbs and Blackwood to second and third with one out before Price Visintainer hit a bases-clearing single to left field to extend the lead to 3-0.
Colton Schultz stepped up to the plate as the ninth batter of the inning and singled up the middle to score Tyler Tolbert and Cole Collins to secure the 5-0 victory.
Tyler Gates picked up the third win of his career as he threw a career-best 6.0 innings, while striking out a career-best five batters. Matthew Calvert earned the first save of his career as he went 3.0 innings, allowing just two hits and extending his scoreless-innings pitched streak to nine innings dating back to April 14.
Paul Kirkpatrick took the loss for the Hilltoppers, his third of the year.
Visintainer went 2-for-3 in the contest with a run scored and a career-high two RBI. Schultz also tacked on a pair of RBI, marking his 17th multi-RBI game of his career.
The shutout marked UAB's fourth of the season and second in C-USA play, but first since throwing one against Louisiana Tech on March 20.
Game Two
WKU struck first for the second time in the series as Nick Brunson hit a two RBI triple in the top of the second inning to give the Hilltoppers a 2-0 lead.
UAB responded in the bottom half of the fourth inning as Pharis hit his fourth home run of the season with a leadoff solo shot over the left field wall to cut the lead to 2-1.
One batter later, Dobbs doubled to right center before Visintainer continued his stellar day at the plate with a two-out double to score Dobbs and tie the game at 2-2.
The Hilltoppers answered in the sixth inning regaining, their two-run advantage as it pushed two runs across the plate on two hits to take a 4-2 lead.
The Blazers answered in the bottom half of the sixth inning when Zack Davis drew his second walk of the contest and Visintainer struck his fourth hit of the day to put two runners on-base for pinch hitterer Thomas Johns, who proceeded to lift one over the right field wall with his first home run of the season to give UAB a 5-4 lead.
Needing just three outs in the top of the ninth, UAB's late inning woes struck again as the Blazers allowed four Hilltopper runs to come across the plate as WKU took the game, 8-5, and the series, 2-1.
Ben Morrison (2-3) earned the win for WKU as the senior pitched 2.2 innings of no-hit baseball, issuing just one walk to four strikeouts. Ty Harris (1-3) took the loss for UAB as he faced two batters, giving up two runs on no hits.
Visintainer led the Blazers offensively in game two as well going 2-for-4 with a double and a RBI. The senior finished the day 4-for-7 with three runs scored and three RBI.
"Coming into the weekend, it was very important for us to sweep the doubleheader and we were three outs away from doing it, which makes it a heartbreak," Shoop said.
UAB will take the week off for finals before the road gets tough again with a trip to Boca Raton, Fla., to take on No. 25 Florida Atlantic. The Blazers and Owls will square off in a three-game series beginning Friday, April 27 at 5:30 p.m. CT.
For more information on the UAB baseball team follow the Blazers on Twitter (@UAB_Baseball) or on Instagram (UAB_Baseball).
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Gates, Tyler (3-1)
L: Paul Kirkpatrick (4-3)
S: Calvert, Matthew (1)
Base Running:
CS: Jacob Rhinesmith 1
HBP: Jacob Rhinesmith 1
Batting:
2B: Davis, Zack 1
RBI: Schultz, Colton 2 ; Dobbs, Stephen 1 ; Visintainer, Price 2
SH: Ralat, Antonio 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Tolbert, Tyler 1 ; Pharis, Carter 1 ; Blackwood, Brett 1 ; Dobbs, Stephen 1 ; Visintainer, Price 1
HBP: Collins, Cole 1 ; Blackwood, Brett 1 ; Visintainer, Price 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
1B/DH
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
C/3B
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
1B
/ Baseball
1B/3B
/ BaseballOF/1B
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball3B
/ BaseballCoffee with Coach | 2025 Week 6
Friday, September 19
Coffee with Coach | 2025 Week 4
Tuesday, September 16
UAB Athletics Live Stream
Monday, September 15
UAB Football Postgame Press Conference | Akron
Sunday, September 14
