March 12, 2006 - UAB 11 Rider 7
March 12, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
College Baseball
University of Alabama-Birmingham 11, Rider University 7
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA—Despite out-hitting the host Blazers 14-9, Rider lost to UAB Sunday. “We swung the bats all weekend, and today was no different,” said Rider head coach Barry Davis.
Rider (0-10) scored four runs in the eighth inning on a pair of two-run singles by junior Scott Knazek (Browns Mills, N.J./Pemberton) and freshman Jamie Hayes (Sunrise, Fla./Piper) to cut the lead to 9-7, but that was as close as the Broncs could get. Hayes also doubled in the game. “Our freshmen have showed how good they are, and are getting good experience” said Davis. “Our future is very promising.”
Rider jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning when senior Bryan Wagner (Flemington, N.J./North Hunterdon) led off the game with a single and scored on a single by senior Mike Poalise (Hammonton, N.J./Hammonton). Poalise had three hits for the Broncs, while Wagner had two. Poalise now has a team-high 16 hits in 10 games, bringing his career hit mark to 114, while Wagner breaks the Rider top 30 with 141 career hits.
UAB (12-4) came right back and scored four runs in the first inning on one hit, a Rider error, four walks and a hit by pitch. “Walks killed us today,” said Davis. “We’re constantly playing from behind.”
Rider cut the lead to 4-2 in the fourth inning on an RBI single by senior Gene Crimoli (Shrewsbury, N.J./Christian Brothers Academy). Crimoli had two hits, as did senior Tom Letizia (Fair Lawn, N.J./Fair Lawn).
Freshman Mike Petrowski (Hamilton Square, N.J./Steinert) pitched well in relief for the second straight day, allowing no earned runs in three and two-thirds innings pitched. “Pet threw fine again today,” said Davis.
Freshman Sean Olson (Vineland, N.J./St. Augustine Prep) hit an RBI double in the fifth inning to cut the UAB lead to 7-3. “Even when we scored, we got one when it should have been two or three runs,” Davis said.
Rider travels to Macon, Georgia to begin a two-game series at Mercer University Tuesday. “We’ll try to get ‘em on Tuesday,” said Davis. “I can’t be discouraged with the way we’ve played. We’ve been very competitive with all four teams we’ve played so far this year, four teams that are as good as or better than the top teams in the MAAC this year. It is not for lack of effort. If that was the case we would have gotten killed on this trip.”
-RU-
