Feb. 18, 2005

Box Score

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The UAB baseball team opened up the 2005 season with a 7-2 victory over Central Michigan on Friday evening at Young Memorial Field. The Blazers' starting pitcher Adam Price picked up the win, pitching seven shutout innings, scattering five hits while walking just one and striking out five Chippewa batters. Cole Helms, Seth Rollin and Rush Knight led the way with two hits each for UAB and combined for five runs batted in. The Blazers improve to 1-0 with their third consecutive opening day victory while Central Miichigan falls to 0-1.

"Adam [Price] gave us seven strong innings tonight, but he got to his pitch count so we decided to take him out," said UAB head coach Larry Giangrosso. "I was real proud of the way our guys responded when Central Michigan closed the gap and we scored four runs to answer. Momentum had definitely shifted but we came back strong."

The Chippewas threatened in the top of the third, with runners on first and third base and only one out. Derek Schaller doubled to left-center field with one out and moved to third when right fielder J.T. Jones singled to right. Leadoff batter Jeremy Crum then stepped up and hit a line drive into left field which Blazer senior Dan Stucky caught on the fly. Stucky then fired a one-hopper to Knight who blocked off home plate and nailed Schaller to complete the double play and end the inning.

UAB took the game's first lead as the Blazers pushed a run across in the bottom of the third inning. Knight led off with a single up the middle then advanced to second on an errant pickoff throw by Central Michigan pitcher Ty Dunham. Shortstop Ryan Metcalf followed with an infield single and Knight scored the Blazers' first run of the season on an RBI groundout by center fielder Levi Patmon.

The Blazers put two more runs on the board in the bottom of the fourth. Helms drilled a one-out triple to the center field wall and scored when Rollin singled up the middle. Rollin would advance to third on an error and with two outs, scored on an infield single off the bat of Knight.

Central Michigan got on the board with a pair of runs in the top of the eighth inning. With one out, Crum reached base on a Metcalf fielding error. After UAB reliever Brandon Flaherty fanned Troy Moratti, the Chippewas strung together three consecutive singles to cut the Blazers' lead to one run. But Flaherty rebounded to strike out David Latour looking, ending the inning and the scoring threat.

Four runs on four hits in the bottom of the eighth gave the Blazers some breathing room heading into the ninth inning. Patmon led off with a single into right-center field and moved to second when Stucky followed with a walk. With one out, Nathan McCorkle was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Helms who ripped a single down the left field line, scoring Patmon and Stucky. Rollin followed with a double down the left field line, plating McCorkle and extending UAB's lead to four. The Blazers would score once more before the inning came to an end.

Because of predicted inclement weather in the area on Sunday, the Blazers and Central Michigan will wrap up their series with a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Young Memorial Field. Game one will begin at 1 p.m. with the second and final game 30-45 minutes after the conclusion of the first.