The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Saturday, May 4
Miami, Fla.
11 a.m.
UAB
20-26, 0
9
at
14
FIU
20-25, 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
UAB
0
0
0
7
0
1
0
0
1
9
15
3
FIU
1
0
0
0
8
1
4
0
X
14
15
3
Blazers Split Saturday Doubleheader in Miami
5/4/2019 9:32:00 PM | Baseball
MIAMI – The UAB baseball split its Saturday double header on Saturday at FIU, falling 14-9 in game one, but rallied to take game two 4-3.
UAB (21-26, 7-16) will now enter Sunday in search of its second consecutive Conference USA series victory, something the Blazers have not accomplished since the 2016 campaign.
"It was a long 12 hours," head coach Brian Shoop said. "That first one was disappointing because we had a 7-1 lead and ended up losing the game and our leading hitter which makes it challenging for the second game. Then in game two we lost our starting pitcher, who was doing great, because of the rain delay."
Ian Ladner remained hot offensively, tallying hits in both games to extend his, team best, hitting streak to seven games. The designated hitter recorded a hit, RBI and run scored in game one and a pair of hits with another run scored and a RBI in game two.
Tyler Tolbert paced the Blazers in the game two victory with a season-high three hits. Colton Schultz and Justin Wiley also registered multiple hits in game two.
Carter Pharis, Blake Johnson and Wiley were the other Blazers to record hits in both games of the day's double header.
Game One
UAB found itself behind early in the first game as FIU plated a run on three hits with an error in the bottom of the first inning, taking a 1-0 lead.
The game remained a one-run contest until the top of the fourth inning when the Blazers took the lead. Pharis led off the frame, reaching on an error followed by the first single of the inning off the bat of Ladner. Blake Johnson doubled to right center to score Pharis and tie the game at one. Nathan Anthes drove the second straight hit with a single to plate Ladner and give UAB the lead. Justin Wiley, Antonio Ralat and Jess Davis all drove three consecutive RBI singles to push UAB's lead to four. Zack Davis kept the inning alive, reaching on an error that scored Ralat before Pharis reached for the second time in the inning, singling up the middle to score J. Davis for the seventh UAB run of the frame, giving the Blazers a 7-1 lead.
The Blazers game up their six-run lead in the fifth inning as pitching woes continued when FIU scored eight runs on six hits with a UAB error and a pair of wild pitches as FIU led 9-7.
UAB got a run back in the top of the sixth inning as J. Davis knocked a one-out double down the left field line, before Schultz grounded out to the right side, scoring J. Davis to pull the Blazers within one.
The Panthers got the run back in the bottom of the frame, driving a sacrifice fly to center field to make it a 10-8 game.
FIU put the game out of reach in the bottom of the seventh inning, plating four runs on three hits with the third UAB error of the game, giving the Panthers a 14-8 lead.
The Blazers added their final run in the top of the ninth when Pharis knocked his second hit of the game with a double. A stolen base moved him to third before Ladner hit a sacrifice fly to deep left center field, scoring Pharis to give the game its 14-9 final.
Graham Ashcraft (2-5) took the loss, coming in in the fifth inning and tossed 1.2 innings, allowing eight runs on six hits with a pair of walks and no strikeouts.
Game Two
For the second straight game UAB found itself behind early as FIU jumped out to a lead in the first inning, scoring one run on a trio of hits to lead 1-0.
UAB erased the deficit an inning later in the second as Ladner reached on a leadoff error. A single from Wiley advanced him 90 feet followed by a wild pitch before Ralat grounded out to short, scoring Ladner, while the FIU infielder made a throwing error allowing Wiley to score on the same play and giving UAB a 2-1 lead.
The Blazers added onto their lead in the third inning as Schultz hit a two-out double to left field followed by a single from Pharis to move Schultz to third. Ladner extended his hitting streak to seven games with a RBI single to right center, plating Schultz and pushing the Blazers' lead to three. Johnson followed with a double off the left field line on the warning track that scored Pharis and made it a 4-1 contest.
Following the third inning the game went into a weather delay at 4:47 p.m., allowing a storm to pass through the Miami area. After almost two hours, play resumed in the top of the fourth inning at 6:38 p.m.
FIU made it a two-run game in the fourth inning, scoring a run on a pair of hits to make it 4-2.
The Panthers pulled within one-run in the bottom of the sixth inning, scoring a run on another pair of hits to make it 4-3.
From there the UAB bullpen took over, allowing no runs on just one hit over the final three innings.
Tanner Rusk (2-2) was credited with the win, coming into the game following the weather delay. Matthew Calvert earned his third save of the season, pitching 2.0 innings and allowed no runs on one hit with a pair of strikeouts. Ryan Wesson also appeared in relief, tossing a perfect 1.2 innings, striking out three of the five batters he faced.
"Great job by (Ryan) Wesson and (Matthew) Calvert to close it down," Shoop said. "Also when Zack (Davis) went down we had to move an infielder to the outfield and then Blake Johnson made a diving catch. It was a big play and a heck of a play by him playing a position he doesn't normally play."
UAB and FIU will faceoff in the series finale on Sunday at 11 a.m. CST before the Blazers return to the state of Alabama for a Tuesday night contest at Auburn. First pitch between the Blazers and Tigers is slated for 6 p.m. at Plainsman Park.
For more information on the UAB baseball team, follow the Blazers on Twitter (@UAB_Baseball) or on Instagram (UAB_Baseball).
UAB (21-26, 7-16) will now enter Sunday in search of its second consecutive Conference USA series victory, something the Blazers have not accomplished since the 2016 campaign.
"It was a long 12 hours," head coach Brian Shoop said. "That first one was disappointing because we had a 7-1 lead and ended up losing the game and our leading hitter which makes it challenging for the second game. Then in game two we lost our starting pitcher, who was doing great, because of the rain delay."
Ian Ladner remained hot offensively, tallying hits in both games to extend his, team best, hitting streak to seven games. The designated hitter recorded a hit, RBI and run scored in game one and a pair of hits with another run scored and a RBI in game two.
Tyler Tolbert paced the Blazers in the game two victory with a season-high three hits. Colton Schultz and Justin Wiley also registered multiple hits in game two.
Carter Pharis, Blake Johnson and Wiley were the other Blazers to record hits in both games of the day's double header.
Game One
UAB found itself behind early in the first game as FIU plated a run on three hits with an error in the bottom of the first inning, taking a 1-0 lead.
The game remained a one-run contest until the top of the fourth inning when the Blazers took the lead. Pharis led off the frame, reaching on an error followed by the first single of the inning off the bat of Ladner. Blake Johnson doubled to right center to score Pharis and tie the game at one. Nathan Anthes drove the second straight hit with a single to plate Ladner and give UAB the lead. Justin Wiley, Antonio Ralat and Jess Davis all drove three consecutive RBI singles to push UAB's lead to four. Zack Davis kept the inning alive, reaching on an error that scored Ralat before Pharis reached for the second time in the inning, singling up the middle to score J. Davis for the seventh UAB run of the frame, giving the Blazers a 7-1 lead.
The Blazers game up their six-run lead in the fifth inning as pitching woes continued when FIU scored eight runs on six hits with a UAB error and a pair of wild pitches as FIU led 9-7.
UAB got a run back in the top of the sixth inning as J. Davis knocked a one-out double down the left field line, before Schultz grounded out to the right side, scoring J. Davis to pull the Blazers within one.
The Panthers got the run back in the bottom of the frame, driving a sacrifice fly to center field to make it a 10-8 game.
FIU put the game out of reach in the bottom of the seventh inning, plating four runs on three hits with the third UAB error of the game, giving the Panthers a 14-8 lead.
The Blazers added their final run in the top of the ninth when Pharis knocked his second hit of the game with a double. A stolen base moved him to third before Ladner hit a sacrifice fly to deep left center field, scoring Pharis to give the game its 14-9 final.
Graham Ashcraft (2-5) took the loss, coming in in the fifth inning and tossed 1.2 innings, allowing eight runs on six hits with a pair of walks and no strikeouts.
Game Two
For the second straight game UAB found itself behind early as FIU jumped out to a lead in the first inning, scoring one run on a trio of hits to lead 1-0.
UAB erased the deficit an inning later in the second as Ladner reached on a leadoff error. A single from Wiley advanced him 90 feet followed by a wild pitch before Ralat grounded out to short, scoring Ladner, while the FIU infielder made a throwing error allowing Wiley to score on the same play and giving UAB a 2-1 lead.
The Blazers added onto their lead in the third inning as Schultz hit a two-out double to left field followed by a single from Pharis to move Schultz to third. Ladner extended his hitting streak to seven games with a RBI single to right center, plating Schultz and pushing the Blazers' lead to three. Johnson followed with a double off the left field line on the warning track that scored Pharis and made it a 4-1 contest.
Following the third inning the game went into a weather delay at 4:47 p.m., allowing a storm to pass through the Miami area. After almost two hours, play resumed in the top of the fourth inning at 6:38 p.m.
FIU made it a two-run game in the fourth inning, scoring a run on a pair of hits to make it 4-2.
The Panthers pulled within one-run in the bottom of the sixth inning, scoring a run on another pair of hits to make it 4-3.
From there the UAB bullpen took over, allowing no runs on just one hit over the final three innings.
Tanner Rusk (2-2) was credited with the win, coming into the game following the weather delay. Matthew Calvert earned his third save of the season, pitching 2.0 innings and allowed no runs on one hit with a pair of strikeouts. Ryan Wesson also appeared in relief, tossing a perfect 1.2 innings, striking out three of the five batters he faced.
"Great job by (Ryan) Wesson and (Matthew) Calvert to close it down," Shoop said. "Also when Zack (Davis) went down we had to move an infielder to the outfield and then Blake Johnson made a diving catch. It was a big play and a heck of a play by him playing a position he doesn't normally play."
UAB and FIU will faceoff in the series finale on Sunday at 11 a.m. CST before the Blazers return to the state of Alabama for a Tuesday night contest at Auburn. First pitch between the Blazers and Tigers is slated for 6 p.m. at Plainsman Park.
For more information on the UAB baseball team, follow the Blazers on Twitter (@UAB_Baseball) or on Instagram (UAB_Baseball).
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Fletcher, Greyson (2-2)
L: Ashcraft, Graham (2-5)
Batting:
2B: Davis, Jess 1 ; Pharis, Carter 1 ; Johnson, Blake 2
RBI: Davis, Jess 1 ; Schultz, Colton 1 ; Pharis, Carter 1 ; Ladner, Ian 1 ; Johnson, Blake 1 ; Anthes, Nathan 1 ; Wiley, Justin 1 ; Ralat, Antonio 1
SF: Ladner, Ian 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Davis, Jess 2 ; Pharis, Carter 2 ; Ladner, Ian 1 ; Johnson, Blake 1 ; Anthes, Nathan 1 ; Wiley, Justin 1 ; Ralat, Antonio 1
SB: Davis, Jess 1 ; Pharis, Carter 1
Batting:
2B: Cartaya, Derek 1 ; Hampton Jr., Lorenzo 1
HR: Hampton Jr., Lorenzo 1
RBI: Cartaya, Derek 2 ; Garcia, Jose 2 ; Hampton Jr., Lorenzo 4 ; Teixeira, Juan 1 ; Fernandez, Adan 2
SH: Valdes, Javier 1
SF: Teixeira, Juan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Cartaya, Derek 3 ; Shenton, Austin 1 ; Perez, Danny 1 ; Garcia, Jose 2 ; Hampton Jr., Lorenzo 1 ; Valdes, Javier 1 ; Teixeira, Juan 1 ; Fernandez, Adan 1 ; Ford, Jarrett 1 ; Rog, Kaeber 2
SB: Valdes, Javier 1
HBP: Cartaya, Derek 1 ; Hampton Jr., Lorenzo 1 ; Rog, Kaeber 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
3
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
3
RBI
1
AB
5
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
AB
5
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
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OF
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INF/LHP
/ Baseball1B/3B
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SS
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF/1B
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
INF
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