UAB Evens Baseball Series With 15-2 Win Over Cards
July 14, 2000 | Baseball
April 29, 2000
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - UAB pounded out 13 hits and three home runs to defeat Louisville 15-2 at old Cardinal Stadium on Saturday.
The Blazers got on the board early in the first inning when Will Smith drew a walk to reach first and crossed the plate on Brent Laircey's two-run homer to give UAB a 2-0 lead.
UAB put up a six-spot in the second as Christian Reimers, Shaun Harris, Mark Garner, Mitch Jones, Smith and Dan DeMent all scored to increase the lead to 8-0.
Smith, DeMent and Laircey each scored again to give the Blazers three more insurance runs and make the score 11-0.
The Blazers tacked on four more runs in the fifth inning as DeMent and Matt Phillips each belted two-run homers, making the score 15-0.
Louisville averted the shut out in the bottom of the ninth when Tony Taylor led off the inning with a double and scored on Scott Kohler's triple. Kohler scored when Troy Hilpp reached on an error to make the final score 15-2.
Smith led the Blazers offensively, going four for four with four runs scored and two RBI. Brent Laircey went three for five with three runs scored and an RBI, while Dan DeMent went two for four with three runs scored and three RBI.
UAB starter Scott Beyer (3-1) got the complete game win, scattering six hits over nine innings, allowing two earned runs, and striking out seven.
Louisville starter Todd Raithel (3-7) took the loss after giving up seven runs on four hits in one inning pitched. The Cards went through two pitching changes before Shawn Hoover entered the game in the sixth inning and allowed no runs on one hit in four innings and struck out four.
Offensively for U of L, Paul Brown went three for three. Tony Taylor went one for one with a double and a run scored.
Louisville (15-29-1, 8-11-1 C-USA) and UAB (19-27, 5-13, C-USA) will meet in the rubber match of the series on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. at old Cardinal Stadium.
