The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Ohio
UAB Offense Delivers 15 Runs in Friday Win Over Ohio
2/26/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Freshman Carter Pharis had a career night at the plate as his hot bat led the UAB baseball team to a 15-6 win over Ohio on Friday night at Regions Field.
Pharis guided the UAB (2-3, 0-0 C-USA) offensive efforts going 3-for-4 with a walk and five RBIs in the nine-run win over the Bobcats (2-2, 0-0 MAC). His five runs driven in stands as UAB’s season-high, and his three hits are tied for the season-high with senior Griffin Gum.
Despite the convincing final score, UAB had to face an early deficit to overcome to pick up the win. Ohio struck first in the first inning with a run, then tagged starting pitcher Ryan Ruggles for four runs in the third inning.
“We were down 5-2 and there didn’t seem to be any panic in the dugout,” head coach Brian Shoop said. “We knew we could get some quality at-bats. We waited to see what was going to happen, and it turned out to be a good offensive day for us. That was the thing I was most pleased with.”
The Blazers trailed 5-2 going into the bottom of the third. Pharis singled home UAB’s run in the first, and a botched pickoff allowed Gum to score before the inning’s end. Pharis then brought UAB within two runs of the Ohio lead with an RBI double in the third.
After a scoreless fourth, the Birmingham bats exploded for five runs in the fifth. Red-shirt freshman Brewer Hicklen led off the frame with his second home run in as many games, and Pharis gave UAB its second lead of the night with a two-RBI hit. An Adam Smith sacrifice fly added to the lead, and Blake Johnson capped off the scoring with an RBI single, putting the Blazers out front 8-5.
“Carter had a great game,” Shoop said. “We were excited when we signed him. He had a great fall and a great preseason, but had a terrible opening day. The speed of the game is different when you’re thrown into a real game, and he came back today and played really well. You just have to keep running guys out there, and we know he is going to be a very good player.”
The bullpen took over in the fourth inning and silenced the Ohio bats for the remaining four frames. Left-handers Adam Lamar and Dylan Munger combined to toss six innings of relief, allowing just one run on six hits. Lamar was credited with the win, and Munger picked up the save.
The Bobcats plated one final run in the ninth, but UAB’s four runs in the seventh and three in the eighth had already put the game out of reach.
Senior Esteban Tresgallo and red-shirt freshman Johnson ended the night with two hits each, and four different Blazers registered multiple RBIs.
UAB is back in action Saturday with a 2 p.m. first pitch against Ohio. Fans who show their tickets from the UAB vs. WKU basketball game will receive a $1 ticket. The series wraps up Sunday with a noon start. Fans can receive a $1 youth ticket with the purchase of an adult ticket to the Sunday matinee.
For more information on the UAB baseball team, follow the Blazers on Twitter (@UAB_Baseball). For more on all Blazer sports teams, follow the official social media accounts of UAB Athletics on Twitter (@UABAthletics), on Facebook (Facebook.com/UAB.Blazers), on Instagram (@uabathletics) or on Snapchat (@uabathletics).
--UABSports.com--
