Trojans Fall at Home to UAB

Tuesday, April 19

Riddle-Pace Field

6:00 pm

Troy University

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Photo by: Kevin Glackmeyer

4/19/2011 10:10:40 PM | Baseball

By: Taylor Bryan

BOX SCORE

TROY - Uncharacteristic errors told the story for the Troy Trojans on Tuesday night as they fell to UAB 8-1 in non-conference action at Riddle-Pace Field.

Troy pitchers thrice committed throwing errors to first base – two by starter Shane McCain and one by reliever Nate Hill. The Trojans escaped the first error on an errant throw by McCain in the fourth inning, but the next two would be costly.

“The last couple of games that we have played, we have made some mistakes in areas that you have to count on in this game to not make mistakes and be more consistently good at,” Troy head coach Bobby Pierce said. “Our offense is up and down, the team is going through hot and cold periods – that's baseball. But you know, pitching and throwing strikes and making routine plays is something that you have to count on day in and day out.”

Entering Tuesday night's match-up, Troy ranked ninth nationally in field percentage (.980).

“We enjoyed a long, long run of doing all of that almost perfect – scary perfect,” Pierce said. “Tonight was a night where we didn't do much right. Then we made some unforced mistakes that opened the doors for UAB. They did swing the bats well and we couldn't really get anything going offensively. It was just a baseball game that didn't go our way.”

In the fifth, McCain's pick-off attempt was wide of the glove of first baseman Logan Pierce, an error that allowed base runner Nick Crawford to go all the way around to third. A fielder's choice by the next batter pushed across the run for a 2-1 UAB advantage.

UAB picked up three more runs in the seventh after a throwing error by Hill on a sacrifice bunt attempt. All-in-all, the Blazers (21-16) totaled three hits with the error in the seventh inning to push their lead to 5-1. They added three more in the late innings for the final margin.

Troy (26-10) was able to end its consecutive scoreless innings streak at 21 with a fourth inning RBI double by Boone Shear. The Pace, Fla.-native's hit down the left field line scored T.J. Rivera, who had doubled to lead off the inning.

The Trojans had a big opportunity in the fifth inning, but third baseman Tyler Hannah popped up on the infield for the third out after consecutive two-out singles by Ali Knowles and Adam Bryant and a walk of Rivera had loaded the bases.

No Troy player had more than one hit. Patrick Palmeiro led the way for UAB with a 3-for-4 night with four RBI.

McCain (4.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K) took the loss to fall to 1-2 on the season. Chase Mallard (1-1) picked up the win for the Blazers.

The Trojans are in action next on Wednesday when they host Alabama A&M beginning at 6 pm at Riddle-Pace Field.