TicketsFive Run First Sinks Bearcats At UAB
Smith, Niefer homer in defeat
Contact: Shawn Sell
3/16/2003
Jake Smith went 3 for 4 with his first homer of the season Sunday at UAB. |
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.---UAB scored five runs in the bottom of the first inning and never looked back, taking a 10-3 win over Cincinnati on Sunday in the finale of the Conference USA opening series for both teams. The defeat drops the Bearcats to 6-11 on the year and 1-2 in C-USA, while UAB is 17-3, with a 2-1 conference mark.
The Bearcats actually dented the scoreboard first on an RBI single by Brad Dorrmann that scored Mark Muscenti. But the Blazers jumped all over Cincinnati starter Kyle Markle (0-5), sending 10 batters to the plate during the frame and chasing Markle before the inning?s conclusion.
The big hit of the inning for the Blazers came from Daniel Hill who clubbed his fifth home run of the season, a three-run shot to left with one out. UAB plated its other two runs of the frame on RBI singles by Josh Miljavac and Mitch Jones.
The Blazers stretched the lead to 7-1 with single runs in the second and fourth inning off Mark Mueller. Seth Rollin tallied an RBI sacrifice fly in the second, while Hill added his fourth RBI with a single in the fourth.
Cincinnati scored both of its final two runs in the fifth on a pair of home runs. Jake Smith hit his first long ball of the year to lead off the frame, while Justin Niefer hit his second with two outs.
UAB regained its six-run advantage with a pair of runs in the sixth. Kyle Leon plated the first run with a single that scored Martin, while Matt Womble?s run-scoring hit scored Leon.
Smith was the offensive star of the day for the Bearcats, going three for four. The Blazers pounded out 15 hits against five Bearcat pitchers, including three each by Leon, Hill and Womble.
On the mound, Scott Gibson (4-0) went the distance for UAB, allowing just six hits and a walk, while striking out six.
The Bearcats return to action next weekend, with the first home series of the season, hosting Houston, beginning Friday at 2 p.m. at Midland Field.