BIRMINGHAM – The UAB baseball team fell in its first extra-inning game of the season with a 6-4 loss to Toledo on Sunday. The Blazers outhit the Rockets, but left 16 men on base as they were edged in the rubber match in 10 innings.
Senior utility man Colton Schultz and freshman infielder Chandler Simpson both had solid days at the dish and came through in clutch moments to tally each of UAB’s RBI. Schultz finished 3-for-5 on the day with an RBI while Simpson went 2-for-4 with two RBI, a run scored and a walk. Senior lefty Austin Bohannon toed the rubber to start, and junior right-hander Jordan Bonk (1-2) took the loss.
“I thought our pitchers were awesome. Again, we don’t turn a routine double-play ball in the first inning or they get none, and we win the game,” said coach Brian Shoop. “Our hitters battled. We left 16 on, so we had guys on all day long with chances to win it. Then in the eighth, Schultz hit the daylights out of the ball. It just happened to be right at a guy. That’s a game winner because McCarty is going to finish that game off for us, but it was at him. I thought their arm on the back end of the game was a really big arm. That was really tough.”
Toledo got going early, scoring a pair in the top of the first. After the first two batters reached base and made their way into scoring position, a single through the left side sent both runners home.
After the bases were loaded by a pair of hit batters and a walk, an infield single plated one more run for the Rockets in the top of the second. Another run for the visitors came home in the third as a leadoff single and wild pitch advancement allowed a following single to push the leadoff man home.
With Toledo up to a 4-0 lead, UAB began to climb back. The Blazers cut the Rocket lead in half in the bottom of the sixth with a pair of singles and aggressive base running. Junior infielder Justin Wiley singled before Simpson walked to get things going. On an ensuing double steal, both runners reached safely as the throw down to third ended up in the outfield, allowing Wiley to come home and Simpson to advance to third. Senior utility man Colton Schultz then singled through the left side to bring home Simpson and decrease the deficit to two.
The Blazers knotted the tally at four apiece in the following inning, attacking with small ball once again. Redshirt junior designated hitter Thomas Johns was hit by a pitch, and Zack Davis walked to lead off the inning. Both runners moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore infielder Pate Fullerton. Simpson then stepped up and beat the shift with a liner through the right side, scoring both Johns and Zack Davis to tie the game.
Both sides were locked through the remainder of regulation as the game reached 10 innings. Toledo loaded the bases in the top half on a double followed by a dinged batter and a walk, setting up a two-RBI single to left center. UAB managed to bring the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the frame, but was unable to respond as Toledo came away with the 6-4 win in extras.
The Blazers are scheduled to open next week’s competition with a midweek tilt against Alabama at Regions Field on Tuesday before hosting WKU for the first conference series of the season. Live stat and streaming information for each game is available on the UAB baseball schedule page. Live stat and streaming information for the game is available on the UAB baseball schedule page.
Fans may secure baseball season tickets by purchasing the 2020 Gold Card for $65. The Gold Card is an exclusive offer that grants you admission into all baseball, softball and women’s basketball events for the remainder of the academic year. Mini plans and single game tickets are also available here. Contact the UAB Ticket Office at (205) 975-UAB1 for more details.
For more information on the UAB baseball team, follow @UAB_Baseball on Twitter and Instagram.
-Go Blazers-
