May 13, 2008

Box Score

TROY, Ala. - The UAB baseball team used four home runs and 23 total hits to earn a 13-2 victory at Troy Tuesday night. The win is the Blazers' second of the season against Troy as UAB earns the two-game season sweep of the Trojans. UAB first baseman Ryan Keedy became the school record holder for single-season doubles by hitting his 25th of the campaign Tuesday while also becoming the ninth Blazer all-time to record 60 RBI in a season.

UAB improves to 22-31 with the win, while Troy drops to 30-23. The Blazers end the non-conference portion of their 2008 schedule with a record of 17-15. The team also finishes 8-4 against in-state opponents for the year.

Johnny Volk (1-0) got the win on the mound after he threw 3.0 innings and allowed just one run in his fifth start of the season.

The Blazer pitchers were backed up by solid defense Tuesday night as the Blazers turned four double plays.

Troy starter Rob Brown (2-3) got the loss after he lasted two thirds of an inning, giving up four runs on three hits

Keedy finished the day 4-for-5 with a double, home run, four runs scored and an RBI. Shortstop Jonathan Merritt had two home runs in the game to highlight his 3-for-6 performance.

Center fielder Cody McMurry was 4-for-5 with three RBI and a home run and right fielder Brint Hardy was 4-for-6 with two RBI.

Second baseman Trevor Tyre led the Trojans offensively by going 3-for-3 at the plate.

Merritt didn't waste any time getting UAB on the board as he towered a solo home run to left field to lead off the game. Later in the first, Hardy scored second baseman Nick Crawford with a fielder's choice ground out to third base and then designated hitter Phil Bell delivered the biggest hit of the inning with a two-run single to right-center field to score Hardy and Keedy and give UAB a 4-0 lead.

In the second, UAB got a two-out rally going as Crawford singled and then Keedy hit his school record 25th double off the right field wall to put two runners in scoring position for McMurry who belted his ninth home run of the season over the left field wall to give the Blazers a 7-0 advantage.

Troy threatened in the bottom of the second, loading the bases with two outs for designated hitter Daryl Otwell who singled to right field to score one run and then second baseman Trevor Tyre attempted to score a second run on the play but was gunned down at the plate by Hardy to get the Blazers out of the inning holding a 7-1 lead.

Hardy supplied a two-out double to left field to score McMurry in the sixth to make it 8-1 and then in the seventh, Merritt hit his second home run of the game before Keedy crushed a two-run home run over the scoreboard in right-center field to extend the lead to 11-1.

UAB went on to add two more runs in the ninth to pull away with the 13-2 victory.

UAB will now return home to play its final series of the season against Southern Miss at Young Memorial Field this weekend beginning Thursday night at 7:00 p.m.