Baseball Drops Series Finale At UAB, 7-4

Sunday, February 26

Birmingham, Ala.

1 p.m. (CT)

Ball State University

1-4

UAB

5-2

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Ball State	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	3	4	10	2
UAB	1	0	0	0	2	0	4	0	X	7	10	1

February 27, 2012 | Baseball

Box Score

By: Ball State Athletics

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Ball State baseball team suffered its fourth straight loss Sunday afternoon as the Cardinals dropped a 7-4 decision to UAB in the series finale at Young Memorial Field.

For the third straight day, the Cardinals received quality starting pitching in the loss as sophomore right-hander T.J. Weir (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo) made his first career weekend start. Weir (0-1) worked a career-high 6.0 innings and allowed three runs on eight hits while striking out a career-high eight batters in the loss.

In the three-game series, the Cardinals' starting pitchers worked 21.0 innings and allowed just five runs while striking out 23 batters. Ball State's starters posted a 2.14 ERA on the weekend, despite dropping all three to the Blazers.

UAB (5-2) also picked up strong starting pitching for the third straight game as Michael Busby worked 7.0 innings to earn his first victory of the season. Busby allowed just one run on four hits while striking out nine batters. The Blazers' starting pitchers went a minimum of 7.0 innings in all three games on the weekend.

A day after both teams went 11.5 innings without scoring a run, the Blazers opened the scoring with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Busby helped his own cause as he reached on an infield single before coming home on a two-out RBI single by Jeff Schalk for the early 1-0 lead.

Ball State tied the score in the top of the fourth inning as this time Weir helped his own cause with a leadoff single. After a ground ball moved him into scoring position, senior Tim Issler (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Xavier) tied the game with a run-scoring single through the left side.

UAB took the lead back for good in the bottom of the fifth inning. Ryan Prinzing led off the inning with a single before Patrick Palmeiro gave the Blazers a 3-1 lead as he hit his first home run of the season over the left center field wall.

The Blazers broke the game open in the seventh inning as they scored four runs in the inning on just two hits. UAB took advantage of two walks, a hit by pitch, a fielding error and a wild pitch to take a 7-1 lead.

Ball State tried to mount a rally in the top of the ninth inning against the UAB bullpen. Freshman Brandon Estep (Selma, Ind./Wapahani) led off the inning with his first collegiate hit as he roped a pinch hit double to left center field in his first career at-bat.

After a walk to Kirby Campbell (Muncie, Ind./Cowan), senior Mitch Widau (Richmond, Ind./Richmond) lined a two-run double to right center field to make it a 7-3 contest. The Cardinals wrapped up the scoring as Widau came home on a UAB fielding error before Chase Mallard came on to retire Weir for his first save of the season.

Ball State continues its 20-game road swing to open the season next weekend as it travels to Columbia, Mo., for a three-game series against Missouri.

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