The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Florida Atlantic
UAB Holds off FAU 6-5
3/24/2019 3:57:00 PM | Baseball
BIRMINGHAM – With the go-ahead run at the plate and nobody out in the bottom of the ninth inning, Tanner Graham got three straight outs to save the game in UAB's 6-5 victory over FAU on Sunday afternoon at Regions Field.
The Blazers (11-14, 1-5 C-USA) got three hits and a pair of RBI from J Paul Fullerton and two RBI from Zack Davis. Jess Davis scored twice in the win. Starting pitcher Tyler Gates got his second win of the year and Graham closed out the contest with three innings out of the pen, earning his first save of the season.
FAU (16-8, 5-1 C-USA) has its 10-game winning streak snapped. Andru Sommerall went 3-for-4 with an RBI and Jared DeSantolo drove in a pair for the Owls.
The first three pitches of the bottom of the first inning resulted in a double from Jess Davis, a single from Fullerton and a sacrifice fly from Zack Davis putting UAB up 1-0.
Francisco Urbaez's led off the top of the fourth inning with a solo home run to left field. On FAU's next at-bat, Summerall doubled to right field. He advanced after Pedro Pages' deep fly out and scored on DeSantolo's grounder to give the Owls a 2-1 lead.
The Blazers broke it open in the fifth inning, scoring five times to go ahead 6-2. UAB loaded the bases on their first three hitters. Keegan Morrow walked, Tyler Tolbert had an infield single and Jess Davis reached on an error. Fullerton's single to right field drove in Morrow and Tolbert, giving the Blazers their first lead of the game at 3-2.
Zack Davis' double scored Jess Davis to make the score 4-2. UAB would get two more runs without a hit. With the bases loaded, Ian Ladner was hit with the bases loaded scoring Fullerton and Blake Johnson walked sending Zack Davis home to put the Blazers ahead by four runs.
FAU responded in the top of the sixth inning when Summerall doubled and scored on a fielder's choice two batters later.
After a scoreless seventh inning, the Owls scored twice in the top of the eighth. Back-to-back doubles from Urbaez and Summerall followed by Pages' single made the score 6-5.
In the top of the ninth, FAU got the tying run on base after a five pitch walk. This brought up Eric Riviera who bounced into a 5-4-3 double play. Graham got Gunnar Lambert to fly out to left to end the game.
"Today was about getting our back up off the mat and fighting and competing. And we had the perfect guy on the mound to do that. Tyler Gates is just a warrior," said head coach Brian Shoop.
Gates went six innings, giving up three runs, striking out four without a walk.
"It was a fantastic job by Tanner Graham to hang in there. He walked the leadoff guy – but it takes a lot of heart to be able to pitch out of that. It was a great play by Antonio Ralat, Tyler turns it to get the double play and Tanner finished it," added Shoop regarding the top of the ninth inning.
"Obviously this a big win for our team. We're thrilled to get it and hope it gives us a spark heading into next week," concluded Shoop.
The Blazers will remain at home when they host Samford on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. before a three game road trip to Louisiana Tech.
For more information on the UAB baseball team, follow the Blazers on Twitter (@UAB_Baseball) or on Instagram (UAB_Baseball).
