Rain-delayed game goes in favor of the Blazers
3/20/2018
BIRMINGHAM, AL – Alabama baseball suffered its first midweek loss of the 2018 season, falling at UAB on Tuesday evening by a score of 6-4. The Crimson Tide now sits at 16-6 on the season.
"It was wet, it was windy and it was a tough night to play," said Alabama head coach Brad Bohannon. "It was the fourth game in a row that we've given up a crooked number in the first inning, so we've obviously got to find a way to start differently. We've got to play better, and I just told the kids that – if we want to win, we have got to play better baseball."
Alabama got one run in the top of the first to take the early lead, but UAB came back with four runs in the home half of the inning and forced the Tide to play from behind all night.
The Tide gained the advantage in the top of the first with one run. Junior Joe Breaux reached on a fielder's choice to give the Crimson Tide a one-out runner and was followed by Chandler Taylor, with the junior delivering a single to put runners on the corners. A hit-by-pitch loaded the base in the next at-bat before a fielder's choice from junior Keith Holcombe crossed the game's first run, making it 1-0.
The Blazers came right back with four runs in the bottom of the first to take the 4-1 lead after one full inning of play. A one-out single and a hit-by-pitch put a pair on before one more single brought in UAB's first run. The next hitter homered to right to add three more and give the Blazers their first lead of the night. UAB added one more in the second, using a leadoff triple followed by a 4-3 groundout to cross the man from third and setting the score at 5-1.
Alabama cut into the lead with a pair of runs in the third to narrow the Blazer advantage to two at 5-3. A leadoff single from Vance put one on before a one-out home run from Taylor added a quick two runs. The home run was Taylor's team-leading ninth of the season and his fifth in the last six games.
The lead was cut in half to 5-4 after UA added one more in the fourth. Junior Matt Malkin led off the inning with a single before a one-out single from Vance put two aboard for Breaux, who delivered an RBI-single to cross the leadoff man. That would cap the Tide's scoring on the night.
UAB would add one more in the bottom of the seventh, using three singles in the inning to gain a two-run lead once again at 6-4.
Crimson Tide starter Sam Gardner (1-1) suffered his first loss of the season after allowing five runs on nine hits and two walks with five total strikeouts. The junior threw a season-high 103 pitches in his first midweek outing of the season. The 1-2-3 hitters in the Tide order paced the Alabama offense, providing seven of the team's eight hits. Vance and Breaux each went 3-for-5 while Taylor finished 2-for-5.
Next up for the Crimson Tide is a weekend trip to Knoxville as Alabama and Tennessee square off for a three-game series. First pitch of the opener is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. CT on SEC Network+. The final two games of the weekend will air nationally on SEC Network with Saturday's matchup at 5 p.m. CT and the series finale on Sunday slated for a 2 p.m. CT first pitch.
Get all the latest information on the team by following @AlabamaBSB on Twitter and Instagram and on Facebook at Alabama Baseball. General athletic news can be found at UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and AlabamaAthletics on Facebook.
-UA-
RTR,
Diamond Tide :biga:
3/20/2018
BIRMINGHAM, AL – Alabama baseball suffered its first midweek loss of the 2018 season, falling at UAB on Tuesday evening by a score of 6-4. The Crimson Tide now sits at 16-6 on the season.
"It was wet, it was windy and it was a tough night to play," said Alabama head coach Brad Bohannon. "It was the fourth game in a row that we've given up a crooked number in the first inning, so we've obviously got to find a way to start differently. We've got to play better, and I just told the kids that – if we want to win, we have got to play better baseball."
Alabama got one run in the top of the first to take the early lead, but UAB came back with four runs in the home half of the inning and forced the Tide to play from behind all night.
The Tide gained the advantage in the top of the first with one run. Junior Joe Breaux reached on a fielder's choice to give the Crimson Tide a one-out runner and was followed by Chandler Taylor, with the junior delivering a single to put runners on the corners. A hit-by-pitch loaded the base in the next at-bat before a fielder's choice from junior Keith Holcombe crossed the game's first run, making it 1-0.
The Blazers came right back with four runs in the bottom of the first to take the 4-1 lead after one full inning of play. A one-out single and a hit-by-pitch put a pair on before one more single brought in UAB's first run. The next hitter homered to right to add three more and give the Blazers their first lead of the night. UAB added one more in the second, using a leadoff triple followed by a 4-3 groundout to cross the man from third and setting the score at 5-1.
Alabama cut into the lead with a pair of runs in the third to narrow the Blazer advantage to two at 5-3. A leadoff single from Vance put one on before a one-out home run from Taylor added a quick two runs. The home run was Taylor's team-leading ninth of the season and his fifth in the last six games.
The lead was cut in half to 5-4 after UA added one more in the fourth. Junior Matt Malkin led off the inning with a single before a one-out single from Vance put two aboard for Breaux, who delivered an RBI-single to cross the leadoff man. That would cap the Tide's scoring on the night.
UAB would add one more in the bottom of the seventh, using three singles in the inning to gain a two-run lead once again at 6-4.
Crimson Tide starter Sam Gardner (1-1) suffered his first loss of the season after allowing five runs on nine hits and two walks with five total strikeouts. The junior threw a season-high 103 pitches in his first midweek outing of the season. The 1-2-3 hitters in the Tide order paced the Alabama offense, providing seven of the team's eight hits. Vance and Breaux each went 3-for-5 while Taylor finished 2-for-5.
Next up for the Crimson Tide is a weekend trip to Knoxville as Alabama and Tennessee square off for a three-game series. First pitch of the opener is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. CT on SEC Network+. The final two games of the weekend will air nationally on SEC Network with Saturday's matchup at 5 p.m. CT and the series finale on Sunday slated for a 2 p.m. CT first pitch.
Get all the latest information on the team by following @AlabamaBSB on Twitter and Instagram and on Facebook at Alabama Baseball. General athletic news can be found at UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and AlabamaAthletics on Facebook.
-UA-
RTR,
Diamond Tide :biga:
