Blazers Best Birmingham-Southern in Inaugural Rickwood College Classic, 10-4

Wednesday, March 30

Birmingham

1 p.m.

UAB

17-7

Birmingham-Southern

19-6

Birmingham-Southern

UAB

Photo by: Dustin Gunter (UAB Creative Services)

Blazers Best Birmingham-Southern in Inaugural Rickwood College Classic, 10-4

3/30/2022 5:18:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

BIRMINGHAM – In a stadium full of history, the UAB baseball team notched a 10-4 victory over Birmingham-Southern in the inaugural Rickwood College Classic on Wednesday afternoon. Rickwood Field, America's Oldest Baseball Field, was built in 1910 and served as the UAB baseball team's home stadium from 1979-83.

The Blazers (17-7) jumped all over the Panthers in the opening frame, pushing across five runs in the home half of the first to control Wednesday's matchup from start to finish. UAB recorded four singles in its first at-bat, plating its first run when cleanup batter Christian Hall smacked a single to center field.

The Blazers then kept adding on in the first, making it 4-0 when freshman Logan Braunschweig delivered his first-collegiate hit to right field. Braunschweig's two-RBI single preceded another RBI single from centerfielder Darryl Buggs, who singled up the middle to make it 5-0 Blazers after the opening inning.

Sophomore right-hander Leo Harris dominated on the mound for the Green and Gold, earning his first win of the season with five innings of one-run baseball. Harris struck out six Panthers and allowed only two hits and no walks. The right-hander's sole run allowed on Wednesday was unearned.

After Birmingham-Southern (19-6) played its first run in the second, Hall pushed UAB's lead back to five in the home half with an RBI single to center field, plating leadoff batter John Marc Mullins. Brandon Willougby then made it 7-1 Blazers in the third, watching ball four for a bases-loaded RBI walk.

Braunschweig continued his hot day at the dish in the seventh with an RBI double to left field, bringing home Hall to make it 8-1 Blazers. Birmingham-Southern would score once in the top of the eighth to make a dent in UAB's seven-run lead before the Blazers extended their advantage to a game-high eight runs in the bottom half. Hall drew a bases-loaded walk before Caleb Floyd lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to make it 10-2 after eight frames.

Blazer bullpen arms Jordan Bonk, Zaylen Perry and Brady Greene each posted scoreless outings for the Green and Gold as the Blazers allowed only two earned runs over the final four innings.

Hall and Braunschweig tied for a game-high three RBI on the afternoon, while Mullins, Hall and Braunschweig tied for a game-high two runs scored apiece. Braunschweig and Birmingham-Southern's Brian Williams each tallied a game-high three hits for their respective squads.

UAB, winners of three straight, will carry its winning streak into a Conference USA weekend series against Marshall (12-12-1, 2-4 C-USA) at Young Memorial Field. First pitch for Friday's game in Birmingham is set for 6 p.m.