MONTGOMERY, Ala. | Alabama State never led in their home opener against UAB, but battled back and won in walk-off fashion over the visiting Blazers 7-6 in extra innings at the Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex Tuesday night.
"We really did a really good job throwing strikes," Alabama State head coach Jose Vazquez said. "We competed on the mound and we threw strikes, and even though we made two mistakes early in the game that caused us to fall behind – we still continued to compete and then our defense was flawless.
"Everybody got involved, and that is the spirit that I want. We are going to continue to compete. It is not over until you get 27 outs, and it is one of those things I couldn't be prouder of our guys."
After a leadoff triple from
Joseph Estrada to start the top of the 10th inning, UAB (3-1) elected to pitch around
Yamil Pagan and intentionally walk
Cage Cox to set the stage for the walk-off victory.
Nate Gerard entered the game in top of the frame as a defensive replacement for
Hunter Allen after the Hornets went to the bench several times over the last two innings, and promptly delivered single up the middle that scored Estrada for the victory.
"That is my style," Vazquez said of the seven moves made in the last few innngs. "We did it in New Orleans with a lot of guys playing, and that is the way I coach. I think it keeps the chemistry and keeps everyone involved because at any time you an come in the game, and it could be at the biggest point of the game.
"Take for example Nate (Gerard) comes in in that situation. He is a junior but he comes into that situation in the bottom of the 10th inning, and he acted like he has been there before. He had a great at-bat in New Orleans and he competed. It was good, sometimes you talk about a team effort in a team spirit; but today was that ultimate team win."
Alabama State got behind 5-0 going into the bottom of the sixth inning before they were able to get on the board when
Ray Hernandez stepped the plate and crushed the first pitch he saw from UAB reliever Kevin Davis over the left field fence to trim the deficit to 5-3. The Blazers were able to add another run in the eighth to push the lead to 6-3 heading to bottom of the eighth inning.
In the bottom of that inning, Hernandez was hit by a pitch with one out and advanced to second on a fielding error by the Blazers that put two runners on for the Hornets. They both came around to score on a
Santiago Garcia double down the line that trimmed the lead to 6-5 heading to the ninth.
After a scoreless top half of the inning,
Hunter Allen singled up the middle and was lifted for pinch runner Darius Wright, who would advance to third on a
Hunter Phillips single through the right side and eventually score on a Hernandez double to set the stage for the final inning.
"I am going to enjoy this one tonight and get ready for tomorrow," Vazquez said. "Obviously they are a very good team that we played today, a well-coached team and we knew it was going to be a tough game. I like the way guys competed and Ivanniel was good tonight, he gave us a chance and Chase was really good coming in for relief. He was able to keep the game close and give us a chance to manufacture some runs."
Allen and Hernandez each picked up two hits in the win, while
Chris Lewis reached base three times via hit by a pitch – two short of the NCAA record for a single game set back in February 2002.
Ivanniel Vazquez got his first start since last March and went five innings and allowed three runs on one earned run, while striking out five. Laney (2-0) came out of the bullpen to work five innings and allowed just one run on five hits, while striking out a pair.
Alabama State and UAB will meet Wednesday afternoon at Regions Field in Birmingham. First pitch is scheduled for 4 pm.
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