Box Score The Alabama State Hornets fell to the University of Alabama at Birmingham Blazers 6-4 in their season finale.
The Hornets struck first with a run in the first inning and a triple to right field that scored
Yamil Pagan from first. The Hornets next run would come in the fourth inning while
Gustavo Rios was caught in a rundown
Chris Biocic was able to score safely from third.
T.J. Renda who got the start for the Hornets gave up five runs off of seven hits with seven strikeouts. The Hornets also used seven pitchers in
Michael Estevez,
Charles Taylor,
Patrick Coffin,
Michael Tellado,
Brandon Caples,
Darren Kelly, and
Armando Ruiz.
The Blazers had a big fifth inning in which they scored five runs off of Renda. Esteban Tresgallo was responsible for four of those runs with his seventh home run of the year -- a grand slam that drove in Evan Peterson, Chase Davis and Nathan Vincent of UAB.
"Im a little disappointed that we gave up such a big inning," stated head coach Mervyl Melendez. "This is not the way to end the season going in to the conference tournament, but of course you can't expect to win with only five hits."The Hornets answered in the bottom of the fifth as they scored two runs off one hit and a throwing error by Tresgallo. P.J. Biocic grounded out to third which allowed
Joseph Estrada to score and
Marcus Swint Scored on the error.
Following three-straight scoreless innings by both teams, UAB added some insurance in the top half of the ninth as Tresgallo led off with a triple. He then came home to score with a sacrifice fly by Tyler Mims to put the Blazers up 6-4.
The Hornets who are the Eastern Division Champs will return to action
next Wednesday in New Orleans, La. as they face Prairie View A&M in the first round of the Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament.
-GO Hornets-
