Early Runs Lifts UAB to Game Two Victory

Saturday, May 11

Mountain Brook High School

10 a.m.

UAB

24-27, 9-17

Charlotte

19-28-1, 10-15-1

Charlotte

UAB

Early Runs Lifts UAB to Game Two Victory

5/11/2019 2:14:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score

MOUNTAIN BROOK, Ala. – Nine runs with three long balls over the opening three innings lifted the UAB baseball team to a 9-5 game two victory over Charlotte on Saturday at Spartan Field.

UAB (24-27, 9-17 C-USA) tied the series at one each with Saturday's victory. A win on Sunday will give the Blazers their third consecutive Conference USA series win, something a UAB team has not done since 2014.

"After losing in a painful way yesterday and going down 3-0 today our offense responded great," head coach Brian Shoop said. "To put nine quick runs up on the board and then go up 9-3. That was about as good as Ty Harris has been this year to hold the fort for us and then (Ryan) Wesson and (Austin) Stump were able to close it out. It was a nice bounce back win for our guys. I'm hoping the weather will clear out so we can honor our seniors on Senior Day tomorrow."

The Davis brother duo continued to shine as brother Zack and Jess both homered in the same game for the second consecutive contest. Zack's home run was a grand slam, the first by a UAB player since J Paul Fullerton's on opening day. Both brothers tallied two hits.

Tyler Tolbert also had a solid day at the plate, recording his 11 multi-hit game of the season with a pair of singles, including one to leadoff the game for the third consecutive contest.

Ian Ladner rounded out the Green and Gold to record a home run, launching his seventh of the season. The first baseman also scored a pair of runs and registered three RBIs in the victory.

Ty Harris (2-1) was credited with the win, tossing a career high 4.0 innings, allowing one runs on three hits with a pair of strikeouts.

Charlotte (19-28-1, 10-15-1) jumped on the scoreboard quickly, scoring three runs on four hits in the first inning, giving the Blazers an early deficit to climb out of.

The Blazers responded in a big way in the home half of the inning as Tolbert, J. Davis and Colton Schultz opened the frame with three straight singles. After a pop out, Ladner drew a bases loaded walk for the first UAB run of the game. The other four runs scored off of Z. Davis' big swing of the bat with his grand slam to right centerfield to make it 5-3 Blazers.

UAB tacked on three more runs on the second inning as J. Davis scored the first run of the frame with his solo shot. Schultz followed J. Davis with a walk to put a runner on for Ladner's big home run, making it 8-3 UAB.

The Green and Gold added their final run of the game in the third inning as Justin Wiley doubled down the left field line to lead things off. A ground out pushed Wiley to third before a wild pitch got away from the 49ers' catcher, allowing him to score from third for the ninth UAB run of the contest.

Charlotte got one run back in the fifth inning with a two-out home run to make it a 9-4 game.

The last run of the game came in the top of the eighth inning as a fielder's choice allowed a 49er to score from third to give the contest its 9-5 final score.

UAB and Charlotte will play the rubber match of the series on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. back on campus at Young Memorial Field. The Blazers will honor their 12 seniors in a special ceremony beginning at approximately 12:45 p.m.

For more information on the UAB baseball team, follow the Blazers on Twitter (@UAB_Baseball) or on Instagram (UAB_Baseball).