The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Tulane
Merritt Breaks UAB Runs Record, Blazers Fall To Tulane
5/15/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 15, 2010
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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Jonathan Merritt has now scored more runs than anyone in UAB baseball history, but he and his Blazer teammates could not cross the plate enough Saturday to defeat Tulane.
A slugfest into the middle innings turned into a battle of the bullpens over the second half of the game, but Tulane grabbed the lead for good in the fifth and held on to even the weekend series with an 11-8 win at Young Memorial Field.
The Blazers (26-23, 9-11 C-USA) and Green Wave (30-21, 9-11 C-USA) are all tied up once again in the Conference USA standings heading into Sunday's rubber game. The start time for the series finale has been moved up two hours to 11 a.m. CT due to a greater threat for storms later in the day.
Merritt tied Shayne Carnes' school record in the first inning after reaching on a fielder's choice and coming around on a three-run home run from first baseman Luke Stewart. The senior shortstop then walked in the third and scored the record-breaker on another three-run blast, this time from third baseman John Frost. Merritt now owns 190 career runs in his four years at UAB.
"Jonathan's had a great career and he's a great person from a neat family," UAB head coach Brian Shoop said. "I'm really happy for him on a tremendous accomplishment. He's an outstanding shortstop, and he's really made a big impact on our program."
Frost's homer came right on the heels of a four-run outburst from Tulane in the top of the third and gave the Blazers a one run lead at 7-6. The freshman third baseman went 3-for-5 at the plate and combined with Stewart to drive in seven of the eight Blazer runs.
Following a scoreless fourth inning, Tulane plated three runs in the fifth to move back in front. The first two Green Wave runs scored with the help of a walk, a wild pitch and a pair of UAB errors. Shortstop Brennan Middleton then capped the scoring with an RBI double to put Tulane on top, 9-7.
For the Green Wave, third baseman Rob Segedin led the way with a 3-for-4 effort and three RBI, while Middleton collected a pair of hits and also drove in three. Segedin hit a two-run homer as part of Tulane's four-run third inning.
After playing a clean game in Friday's series-opening victory, UAB committed four errors, walked six batters, hit another and uncorked five wild pitches in Saturday's loss.
"You just can't win when you do those things," Shoop said. "I thought the effort was fantastic, the energy and the focus were great, but it's just really hard to overcome all those extra base runners."
UAB starter Beau Pender took the loss, allowing the first nine Tulane runs in four-plus innings before turning the ball over to the bullpen, which held the Green Wave to two runs over the final five frames.
The Blazer bats got to Tulane starter Robby Broach for seven runs in two and two-thirds innings, but Green Wave reliever Drew Zizinia came out of the bullpen to settle things down. Zizinia earned the win, allowing just one more run before turning the ball over to closer Nick Pepitone with one out in the seventh. Pepitone threw 45 pitches the rest of the way to close it out and pick up the save.
UAB loaded the bases in the ninth, putting the tying run on with two outs, but Pepitone's fourth strikeout of the game sealed the win for Tulane.
Despite their miscues, the Blazers were just inches away from what might have been a different outcome. Would-be home runs off the bats of Merritt and designated hitter Digger Towe went just foul down each line, as did a potential run-scoring extra-base hit from center fielder Jamal Austin.
Stewart's home run, on the other hand, was a no-doubter to right center field, marking his third of the weekend and his conference-leading 19th of the year. He now owns 47 homers in his UAB career and is two away from tying Carnes' school record of 49.
