The Alabama State University baseball team will play its first home game of the 2012 season Tuesday when the UAB Blazers come to town for a 4 p.m. game at the Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex.
Fans can watch the game live at www.bamastatesports.com/showcase for $5.95. Live stats will also be available at bamastatesports.com.
The Hornets will look to get in the win column after losing three games in the Major League Baseball Urban Invitational in Houston, Texas. ASU lost to UC-Irvine 5-3, Grambling State 8-5 in 12 innings, and Southern 10-2.
“We played very, very well in the first two games,” head coach
Mervyl Melendez said in reflecting back over the weekend games. “We saw a lot of good things out of our young ball club. We kind of dismantled yesterday; we didn't swing the bats and the pitching wasn't up to par of what we expected. Getting only three innings from our starting pitching was not good. However, we saw a lot of bright spots. We played 21 innings in the first two days and 20 of them were really, really good, and I'm happy with that. The record does not indicate how well we played and definitely the last game does not indicate how good this team could be.”
Despite committing nine errors over the weekend, the Hornet pitching and defense combined to get out of numerous jams. ASU opponents stranded 31 runners on base in three games, including a combined 25 by UC-Irvine (11) and Grambling State (14).
“To have a young ball club, and to do what we did in those situations says a lot,” Melendez said. “All the teams we faced were very experienced, and don't have as many freshmen as we do. They built some momentum on the offensive side, and we were able to prevent big innings for the most part. Grambling had a big inning in the 12
th Saturday, and Southern in the 3
rd Sunday, but other than that I think we held our own. This young group is going to continue to get better and play with more confidence. The errors come from being tight and being nervous. We're better on the defensive side than we showed this past weekend. We have to keep going at it, keep practicing and getting better and eventually we will find our groove.”
The Hornets will face a UAB team which opened the season with a win at Clemson Friday before dropping a doubleheader to the Tigers Saturday. Catcher Jacob German is off to a hot start for the Blazers, batting .714 in three games (5-for-7).
“We know that UAB is a very capable team,” Melendez said. “In Division I baseball, any team can beat you on any given day. It all goes back to your starting pitching. We're hoping
Anthony Ricciardi can give us a good start with four or five innings, and hopefully the bullpen will do the job. We just want to get better. We want to play good baseball, and at the end of the day, if you play well, good things will happen.”
Melendez is also excited to open the home schedule and play in front of Hornet fans in the Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex.
“We need that home support; we need that home crowd,” Melendez said. “I think that elevates the players' games. That motivates them a little bit. We need our fans to come out, support the guys at home and give us the lift that we need.”
