First Inning Proves Costly in 5-3 Loss at Jacksonville State

Tuesday, May 14

Jacksonville, Ala.

6 p.m.

UAB

25-28

Jacksonville State

31-21

UAB

Jacksonville State

First Inning Proves Costly in 5-3 Loss at Jacksonville State

5/14/2019 9:13:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score

JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – A five-run first inning was all the Gamecocks would need as the UAB baseball team fell 5-3 at Jacksonville State on Tuesday night at Jim Case Stadium.

UAB (25-28) closes its mid-week slate for the 2019 season with a 7-7 record, recording victory over Auburn and season sweeps of Samford, Troy and Alabama State.

"Darn it, we gave up five runs before we could get an out," head coach Brian Shoop said. "Austin Bohannon has been good, he was great last week at Auburn, but its baseball and it happens sometimes. After spotting them five the pitching staff was great and gave us a chance to come back and we just couldn't climb the mountain today. Five of our last six our were routine fly balls and we are not very good when we do that. We are a middle of the field, low line drive team. When we are in the air we don't generate much."

Aside the first inning, the UAB pitching staff tossed seven scoreless innings after, holding the Gamecocks to just five more hits with 12 strikeouts.

Zack Davis led the UAB offense with a pair of RBIs on one hit. No Blazer turned in a multi-base knock contest, but Carter Pharis extended his hitting streak to nine games.

UAB found itself in an early five-run deficit after the first inning as Jacksonville State scored five runs on six hits, including back-to-back home runs to lead 5-0 after one.

The Blazers cut into the Gamecock lead in the third inning as Tyler Tolbert drove a one out double down the left field line followed by Jess Davis being struck by a pitch to put two runners on for Z. Davis. Z. Davis drove the second UAB double of the inning, this one plating Tolbert and younger brother J. Davis to make it a 5-2 game.

UAB added another run in the fourth inning as Colton Schultz drew a walk to leadoff the frame. Another walk and a sacrifice bunt moved the left fielder to third, allowing him to score with ease when Justin Wiley hit a sacrifice to score Schultz and pull the Blazers within two, 5-3.

Unfortunately two was as close as the Blazers would get as neither team was able to generate a run over the final five innings, giving the game its 5-3 final score.

The Blazers will hit the diamond for the final time in regular season when they begin a three-game series against Southern Miss in Hattiesburg on May 10. First pitch between the Blazers and Golden Eagles is set for 6 p.m. at Pete Taylor Park in Hattiesburg.

"Down to Hattiesburg tomorrow and I think we are going to play great down there and we look forward to the weekend," Shoop said.

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