BIRMINGHAM – The UAB baseball team took care of Miami in game one of the weekend series, downing the Redhawks 5-2 on Friday. The Blazers inched in front with a run in the bottom of the first and never surrendered the lead, scoring three more in the fourth and another in the sixth to create separation and cruise to the win.
Junior Caleb Floyd had another solid day at the plate for the Blazers as he went 3-for-4 with a run scored. The hometown Birmingham native is now 5-for-8 with two RBI and three runs scored in the last two games. Along with Floyd, junior Justin Wiley went 2-for-3 at the dish with an RBI and a run scored while redshirt junior Thomas Johns bombed a solo shot into right center. On the mound, Riley Davis went 7.1 innings and picked up three strikeouts and the win in his first start of the season while grad transfer Mac McCarty continued his near flawless closing efforts to earn a save.
“That’s a really good win. That’s a really good team. That’s a 37-win team from last year with most guys back,” said coach Brian Shoop. “Obviously, it was fantastic to have Riley back. He was super. He got so deep into the game, and Mac has been dominant every time he’s been out there. You feel really good if you can get him the ball with the lead. It was a great night by our hitters. That’s a legitimate Friday night guy. That’s a freshman All-American. That’s a Friday night guy in our league, so it’s a good win.”
Redshirt sophomore Jess Davis got UAB going from the start, leading off the top of the first with a single. Shortly after, the speedster stole second for his fifth swipe in three games before advancing to third on a grounder and putting the Blazers on the board on a wild pitch.
UAB delivered a strong blow in the bottom of the fourth, extending the gap with three more runs. The Blazers opened the inning with back-to-back singles from senior J Paul Fullerton and Floyd before another single from Wiley pushed Fullerton home. Freshman Chandler Simpson then swatted one to short, resulting in a sequence of throws and errors that got Floyd and Wiley home for the 4-0 lead.
Johns put an exclamation point on UAB’s lead in the sixth, cranking a solo shot into Miami’s bullpen in right center for a five-run advantage.
Miami didn’t fold despite the lead, getting two back in the top of the eighth as a result of three singles and a double. Despite getting within striking distance, the Redhawks failed to get any closer as McCarty relieved Riley Davis and closed the game for the 5-2 win and a save.
“We’re really pleased with tonight,” added Shoop. “There was some really good defense, and our speed really came into play again. That’s a nice night, but we’ll have our hands full the next two days. These are two pretty good teams going at it.”
The Blazers will have a chance to clinch the series as they take on the Redhawks in game two on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Regions Field. Live stat and streaming information for each 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-
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