The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Saturday, May 23
Clearwater, FL
1:05 P.M.
UAB
32-26
12
vs
14
Wichita State
31-28
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wichita State | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 21 | 1 |
| UAB | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 15 | 0 |
Wichita State Comeback Eliminates Blazers From American Championship
5/23/2026 7:48:00 PM | Baseball
CLEARWATER, Fla. - UAB Baseball was eliminated from the American Championships with a 14-12 loss to No. 7 Wichita State. After leading 5-2, 9-5, and 10-6 throughout the game, UAB's lead was washed away by a six-run seventh inning by Wichita State. Despite the Blazers tying the game in the seventh inning, a pair of Shocker runs in the eighth inning proved to be the difference, advancing Wichita State to the American Conference Championship semifinal.
The comeback win for the Shockers spoiled a game in which the Blazers set a pair of program records. A first-inning home run was the 82nd of the season by UAB, surpassing the 1998 team's mark of 81. Additionally, a second-inning walk was the 290th of the year, the most ever in a UAB season.
John Paul Head continued his standout tournament, going three-for-five with a walk and a pair of home runs, including the record-breaking home run. Head concluded the Championships with 22 home runs on the year, the second most ever in a UAB season, the most since Shayne Carnes's 23 in 1998. Andrew Hunt also tallied three hits in five at bats. Hunt homered, driving in three runs in the game.
Head wasted no time setting the new program team home run record, blasting a no-doubt shot to left field in the bottom of the first inning. Head's 22nd home run of the year brought UAB's tally to 82 on the year, breaking a 28-year record set in 1998.
Wichita State responded in the top of the second with a single and a double to start the inning. The Shockers plated each of those hits, starting with a Kaleb Duncan groundout to score Nolan Ganter. Ethan Gonzalez recorded his first of five hits with an RBI single to score Jacob Gutierrez.
The Blazers retook the lead in the bottom of the second. Brady Waugh walked to lead off the inning, setting the UAB Baseball record for team walks in a season with 290. Hunt followed Waugh's walk with a home run to left field. Wesley Helms continued the rally with a walk, scoring later on a Baylor Roberts triple, Roberts's third triple of the season.
Carter Samuelson pulled himself out of a bases-loaded jam after walking consecutive batters with two outs. Samuelson forced a groundout to second base to preserve the UAB lead.
Waugh led off the bottom of the third inning with his second walk of the game. After Waugh stole second, Hunt singled to move Waugh to third base. Helms singled to right field, driving in Waugh to give the Blazers a 5-2 lead.
The Shockers tied the game in the top of the fourth inning, starting with a leadoff double by Gonzalez. Owen Rush reached on a bunt single, advancing Gonzalez to third base. Jayson Jones singled to left field, scoring the first run of the inning for Wichita State. Owen Washburn followed Jones with a double to right-center field, scoring Rush. Ganter capped the inning with a ground ball to short, driving in Jones from third base.
UAB returned Wichita State's three-run inning with a four-run inning, scoring each of the first four hitters of the inning. Kevin Hall Jr. led off the inning with a single, followed by a Head walk and an RBI single by Landon Beaver, driving in Hall Jr. Alex Dupuy hit a no-doubt drive to left field, driving in three runs with his second home run of the weekend.
Wichita State loaded the bases before recording an out in the fifth inning. Duncan reached on a single, followed by singles by Zeb Henry and Gonzalez. Chase Ingram worked his way through the inning, striking out Rush before walking Jaden Gustafson for the only run of the inning as Ingram got a popout to second and his second strikeout of the inning.
Beaver drove in Hall Jr. on a groundout to second base for his second RBI of the game. Hall Jr.'s second run of the game restored the Blazers' four-run lead at 10-6 through five innings.
Both squads managed a hit in the sixth inning, but neither could score a run, the first inning of the game neither team scored.
Wichita State made its comeback in the seventh inning, scoring six runs. The big inning started with a Gonzalez solo home run, his fourth hit of the game. Alex Ulloa pinch hit, reaching base on a single. Gustafson continued the rally with a single to set up Jones with runners on first and second. Jones tallied his second RBI of the game with a single to score Ulloa. A hit-by-pitch loaded the bases, setting up an RBI walk by Ganter. Gutierrez grounded into a fielder's choice, scoring Jones to tie the game. Duncan kept the line moving with a single, driving in Washburn to give Wichita State the lead.. Finally, Gonzalez's fifth hit of the game, a double, drove Gutierrez to give the Shockers a 12-10 lead.
The Blazers continued its story of the season, scoring two runs in the seventh to fight back and tie the game again. Head homered for the second time in the game, his fifth multi-homer game of the year. Beaver followed Head's homer to left with a walk, advancing to second on a Dupuy single. Waugh drove in Beaver to tie the game with a single center field. UAB threatened to score more with two runners on and just one out, but Brady Hamilton entered the game in relief for the Shockers and got himself a double play to pull Wichita State out of the inning tied.
Gustafson led off the eighth inning for the Shockers with a hit-by-pitch. Jones advanced Gustafson with his third single of the game. Washburn got his second RBI of the game with a single to score Gustafson, retaking the lead for the Shockers. Ganter drove in his third run of the game, flying out to center field to score Jones on a sacrifice fly. Riley Miller closed out the rest of the inning for UAB with a pair of strikeouts.
Hamilton continued to work through UAB hitters, only giving up a single to Austin Pierzynski in a scoreless eighth inning. Miller diced his way through the Shockers in the ninth inning, striking out the side. Hamilton returned to the mound for Wichita State in the ninth. He earned a pair of groundouts to second base, before a flyout to right field clinched the Wichita State comeback victory.
NOTES
The comeback win for the Shockers spoiled a game in which the Blazers set a pair of program records. A first-inning home run was the 82nd of the season by UAB, surpassing the 1998 team's mark of 81. Additionally, a second-inning walk was the 290th of the year, the most ever in a UAB season.
John Paul Head continued his standout tournament, going three-for-five with a walk and a pair of home runs, including the record-breaking home run. Head concluded the Championships with 22 home runs on the year, the second most ever in a UAB season, the most since Shayne Carnes's 23 in 1998. Andrew Hunt also tallied three hits in five at bats. Hunt homered, driving in three runs in the game.
Head wasted no time setting the new program team home run record, blasting a no-doubt shot to left field in the bottom of the first inning. Head's 22nd home run of the year brought UAB's tally to 82 on the year, breaking a 28-year record set in 1998.
Wichita State responded in the top of the second with a single and a double to start the inning. The Shockers plated each of those hits, starting with a Kaleb Duncan groundout to score Nolan Ganter. Ethan Gonzalez recorded his first of five hits with an RBI single to score Jacob Gutierrez.
The Blazers retook the lead in the bottom of the second. Brady Waugh walked to lead off the inning, setting the UAB Baseball record for team walks in a season with 290. Hunt followed Waugh's walk with a home run to left field. Wesley Helms continued the rally with a walk, scoring later on a Baylor Roberts triple, Roberts's third triple of the season.
Carter Samuelson pulled himself out of a bases-loaded jam after walking consecutive batters with two outs. Samuelson forced a groundout to second base to preserve the UAB lead.
Waugh led off the bottom of the third inning with his second walk of the game. After Waugh stole second, Hunt singled to move Waugh to third base. Helms singled to right field, driving in Waugh to give the Blazers a 5-2 lead.
The Shockers tied the game in the top of the fourth inning, starting with a leadoff double by Gonzalez. Owen Rush reached on a bunt single, advancing Gonzalez to third base. Jayson Jones singled to left field, scoring the first run of the inning for Wichita State. Owen Washburn followed Jones with a double to right-center field, scoring Rush. Ganter capped the inning with a ground ball to short, driving in Jones from third base.
UAB returned Wichita State's three-run inning with a four-run inning, scoring each of the first four hitters of the inning. Kevin Hall Jr. led off the inning with a single, followed by a Head walk and an RBI single by Landon Beaver, driving in Hall Jr. Alex Dupuy hit a no-doubt drive to left field, driving in three runs with his second home run of the weekend.
Wichita State loaded the bases before recording an out in the fifth inning. Duncan reached on a single, followed by singles by Zeb Henry and Gonzalez. Chase Ingram worked his way through the inning, striking out Rush before walking Jaden Gustafson for the only run of the inning as Ingram got a popout to second and his second strikeout of the inning.
Beaver drove in Hall Jr. on a groundout to second base for his second RBI of the game. Hall Jr.'s second run of the game restored the Blazers' four-run lead at 10-6 through five innings.
Both squads managed a hit in the sixth inning, but neither could score a run, the first inning of the game neither team scored.
Wichita State made its comeback in the seventh inning, scoring six runs. The big inning started with a Gonzalez solo home run, his fourth hit of the game. Alex Ulloa pinch hit, reaching base on a single. Gustafson continued the rally with a single to set up Jones with runners on first and second. Jones tallied his second RBI of the game with a single to score Ulloa. A hit-by-pitch loaded the bases, setting up an RBI walk by Ganter. Gutierrez grounded into a fielder's choice, scoring Jones to tie the game. Duncan kept the line moving with a single, driving in Washburn to give Wichita State the lead.. Finally, Gonzalez's fifth hit of the game, a double, drove Gutierrez to give the Shockers a 12-10 lead.
The Blazers continued its story of the season, scoring two runs in the seventh to fight back and tie the game again. Head homered for the second time in the game, his fifth multi-homer game of the year. Beaver followed Head's homer to left with a walk, advancing to second on a Dupuy single. Waugh drove in Beaver to tie the game with a single center field. UAB threatened to score more with two runners on and just one out, but Brady Hamilton entered the game in relief for the Shockers and got himself a double play to pull Wichita State out of the inning tied.
Gustafson led off the eighth inning for the Shockers with a hit-by-pitch. Jones advanced Gustafson with his third single of the game. Washburn got his second RBI of the game with a single to score Gustafson, retaking the lead for the Shockers. Ganter drove in his third run of the game, flying out to center field to score Jones on a sacrifice fly. Riley Miller closed out the rest of the inning for UAB with a pair of strikeouts.
Hamilton continued to work through UAB hitters, only giving up a single to Austin Pierzynski in a scoreless eighth inning. Miller diced his way through the Shockers in the ninth inning, striking out the side. Hamilton returned to the mound for Wichita State in the ninth. He earned a pair of groundouts to second base, before a flyout to right field clinched the Wichita State comeback victory.
NOTES
- Head's first inning home run was the Blazers' 82nd long shot the year, breaking the program record for team home runs in the year. UAB finished the weekend with 85 home runs on the season.
- Head's multi-homer game was his fifth of the season.
- Waugh walked to lead off the second inning. The walk was the 290th of the season, the most ever in a UAB campaign.
- UAB stole six bases on Saturday, the most in a game in 2026. The six swipes total 100 on the season, the fourth most in UAB history.
- Head extended his on-base streak to 22 games. Hall Jr. and Hunt each extended their on-base streaks to 18 games.
- Waugh extended his hit streak to 11 games.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Brady Hamilton (4-8)
L: Miller, Riley (5-1)
Batting:
2B: Owen Washburn 1 ; Jacob Gutierrez 2 ; Ethan Gonzalez 2
HR: Ethan Gonzalez 1
RBI: Jaden Gustafson 1 ; Jayson Jones 2 ; Owen Washburn 2 ; Nolan Ganter 3 ; Jacob Gutierrez 1 ; Kaleb Duncan 2 ; Ethan Gonzalez 3
SF: Nolan Ganter 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jaden Gustafson 2 ; Jayson Jones 3 ; Owen Washburn 1 ; Nolan Ganter 1 ; Jacob Gutierrez 2 ; Kaleb Duncan 1 ; Ethan Gonzalez 2 ; Owen Rush 1 ; Alex Ulloa 1
HBP: Jaden Gustafson 1 ; Owen Washburn 1
Batting:
3B: Roberts, Baylor 1
HR: Head, John Paul 2 ; Dupuy, Alex 1 ; Hunt, Andrew 1
RBI: Head, John Paul 2 ; Beaver, Landon 2 ; Dupuy, Alex 3 ; Waugh, Brady 1 ; Hunt, Andrew 2 ; Helms, Wesley 1 ; Roberts, Baylor 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hall Jr., Kevin 2 ; Head, John Paul 3 ; Beaver, Landon 2 ; Dupuy, Alex 1 ; Waugh, Brady 2 ; Hunt, Andrew 1 ; Helms, Wesley 1
SB: Hall Jr., Kevin 2 ; Head, John Paul 1 ; Beaver, Landon 1 ; Waugh, Brady 1 ; Helms, Wesley 1
Game Leaders
AB
5
R
3
H
3
RBI
2
AB
5
R
1
H
3
RBI
2
3b/ph
AB
6
R
1
H
2
RBI
3
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
OF/1B
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OF
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RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
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C
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/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
INF
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