Baseball v. UAB

[jetz]

Mahoney to start the 4th.  Bryant and Webb both work quickly, which I like.  Mahoney looks at a strike 3 change and there's one away.

[jetz]

  to Apostle.  I was just about to break that out!  Vavra gets caught looking, "like a house by the side of the road" for out #2, and Bain grounds out to short.  Bryant still perfect through 3 1/2.  No score.

[jetz]

Webb whiffs lefty hitterPrinzing on some high cheese for out #1.

[jetz]

De Jesus lines the game's first hit down the left field line and cruises into second with a stand up double. 

[Hanson23kim]

UAB's Matt Morse was a high school teammate of Valpo's Jake Hanson #24 at Aurora Christian HS in Aurora, IL.

[jetz]

Webb working up in the zone now.  De Jesus steals third on the right pitch now, though, as that one was in the dirt.  Another gets away from Cribbs, goes to the backstop, and De Jesus scores...1-0 UAB.   

[jetz]

Score that a wild pitch on the run scored.  Webb gets the UAB hitter on a check swing third strike for the second out.  Jeff Schalk then bounces to first to end the fourth.  UAB leads it 1-0. 

[valpotx]

Can't have unforced errors against good teams, especially when the offense is struggling

[jetz]

Loeffler hits an easy fly to center for the first out of the inning. 

[jetz]

Morman desperately needs a hit, but his chopper to the hole at short is handled on a nice play.  Two away.  Hara bounces weakly to second base, and the side is retired.  Bryant hitting his spots and it looks like it could be a long day for the Valpo hitters...

[jetz]

Two hopper to Mahoney, who throws a strike to Loeffler for the first out.

[jetz]

Harry Clark drives a sharp single to right past a diving Loeffler.

[jetz]

High hopper to Martin, who fires to Vavra for the out at second.  The throw to first not in time.  Two down, runner on first.

[jetz]

Ground ball to Vavra, who makes the easy flip to Mahoney for the force at second to end the fifth.  Webb looks good, Bryant looks better.  UAB leads it 1-0.

[jetz]

Elliott Martin breaks through with a bloop single to left to open the sixth.  Cribbs up will probably look to bunt.

[jetz]

Cribbs lays down the sac bunt and is tagged out by the first baseman.  Martin to 2nd.

[jetz]

Manning flies to center, and Martin tags and goes to 3rd on the play.  2 down.  Mahoney hits a swinging bunt to third, and he makes the play to first to end the Valpo threat.  Still 1-0 UAB.

[valpotx]

As a pitcher, I have always enjoyed Coach Woodson's small ball approach to get runs on the board, even though we didn't get one there 

[jetz]

Top of the order for UAB.  Webb knocks down the bouncer back at him and throws Lau out.  One away.

[jetz]

Sky ball near the mound.  Martin and Mahoney converge on it, and Martin takes charge and makes the catch.  Two down.

[jetz]

Ground ball to Vavra at second and we're through six in this quick moving contest.  1-0 UAB

[jetz]

Black chain link here makes it tough to see through the fences.  Looking towards the pens, but no one up for either team, nor should there be.  Vavra lines a one hopper to second, and there's one away in the Valpo 7th. 

[jetz]

Bain bounces a foul ball off his own instep and he's down.  That hurt.  Now back in the box.  The next pitch hits the same foot, and Bain limps to first.  Wow.

[jetz]

If Bain steals, it would be the best deke in baseball history.  He's limping badly.  Loeffler hits a slow roller to third, whose only play is to first.  Bain to second with 2 away. 

[jetz]

Morman in the box for Valpo, and there's an unexpected visit to the UAB mound.  Bryant remains in the game.  Bain moving a bit better now.  Morman grounds out to third and the Blazers hold on to their 1-0 lead after 6 1/2.