Late Comeback Falls Short in Game Two Loss at Southern Miss

Friday, May 17

Hattiesburg, Miss.

6 p.m.

UAB

26-29, 11-18

Southern Miss

34-18, 20-9

UAB

Southern Miss

Late Comeback Falls Short in Game Two Loss at Southern Miss

5/17/2019 9:58:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score

HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Five runs over the final three innings was not enough as the UAB baseball team fell 10-5 to Southern Miss on Friday night at Pete Taylor Park.

UAB (26-29, 11-18 C-USA) has been eliminated from a chance at making the Conference USA Tournament, but a win on Saturday over Southern Miss would secure the series victory. The Blazers have not won a series in Hattiesburg since 2009.

"I am proud of the whole team," head coach Brian Shoop said. "I am proud of (Tyler) Gates because people just don't understand how many injuries he's battled through and how many surgeries he has rehabbed back from. He's just been on fumes physically and pitching on will and I am so proud of him and the way he has competed and who he has been as a person.

"Giving up seven runs in the first three innings was too much to overcome. We thought we'd make a run, and we did, and the crowd was getting nervous when we had Carter (Pharis) up with the bases loaded and (Ian) Ladner on deck. You could feel the tension in the crowd. Our kids have fought so hard this last month so I can't think of any negative things to say about them. I am proud of them."

Seniors Blake Johnson and Carter Pharis led UAB offensively, both recording a pair of hits. One of Johnson's hits was a solo blast, the second of his career, while Pharis was the only Blazer with multiple RBIs.

Tyler Gates (2-1) took the loss on the mound, allowing four runs, three earned, on a trio of hits with a walk and just two strikeouts in the senior's final outing as a Blazer. Five other relievers allowed a combined seven runs on six hits with four strikeouts and seven free passes issued.

The Blazers fell behind early as Southern Miss scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning on a pair of home runs with a walk in between to go up 3-0.

Southern Miss (34-18, 20-9 C-USA) added four more runs in the third inning, piecing together four hits and making the Blazer pay for an error as the Golden Eagles pushed their lead to seven.

The Golden Eagles added another run in the fourth inning as a two-out single made it an 8-0 contest.

UAB scored its first runs of the game in the seventh inning when Nathan Anthes led off the frame with a single. A wild pitch and an error with Tyler Tolbert at the plate moved Anthes to third, before the Blazers executed a double steal, scoring Anthes for the first Blazer run. Three batters later, Pharis scored Tolbert on a sacrifice fly to make it 8-2.

Johnson provided the fireworks for the Green and Gold in the eighth inning with his solo shot to lead off the frame, pulling the Blazers within five.

Southern Miss added more runs in the home half of the frame, scoring two runs on a pair of hits to go up 10-3 with three outs to play.

The Blazers made a final push in the ninth inning as Tolbert reached base again on a Southern Miss miscue. Jess Davis scored Tolbert on the next pitch, driving a double to left center field. A fly out gave UAB its first out of the ninth, but did advance Davis to third, allowing Pharis to single through the left side and scored Davis with ease, giving the game its 10-5 final score.

UAB will close the books on its 2019 campaign on Saturday afternoon when it faces Southern Miss in the season finale. First pitch between the Blazers and Golden Eagles is set for 1 p.m.

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