Jonathan Merritt was 4-for-5 with a home run, three RBI and two stolen bases Wednesday night.

April 16, 2008

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - After a heartbreaking loss at Kennesaw State on Tuesday, the UAB Blazers got their offense going and turned the tables on the Owls Wednesday night by earning an 11-4 victory at Young Memorial Field. Shortstop Jonathan Merritt got the Blazer offense in gear by going 4-for-5 with a home run, two stolen bases and three RBI.

UAB improves to 15-21 with the victory, while Kennesaw State falls to 20-18.

Merritt's third four-hit game of the season as the team's leadoff hitter got the team going after it scored just two runs against the Owls Tuesday night.

"I'm seeing the ball really well right now and am just going up there looking for a pitch to hit," Merritt said. "This win was big. Coach (Shoop) talked about our energy level yesterday and how it was down from Rice so we picked it up today and got the win."

In addition to Merritt, left fielder Phil Bell continued to swing a hot bat against the Owls, finishing the game 2-for-4 with a home run, three RBI and a stolen base.

Second baseman Nick Crawford was 2-for-4 with two RBI, while center fielder Cody McMurry was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.

The Blazers used seven pitchers in the game with starter Blake Huddleston (2-1) getting the win after throwing 2.0 innings and allowing three runs on four hits. Huddleston left the game with a 7-1 lead following the second inning.

Justin Edwards (3-3) was tabbed with the loss after he went just 1.2 innings and gave up seven runs on six hits.

Baker, who was a lifetime .364 hitter against the Blazers entering play Wednesday, gave the Owls a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when he hit a towering shot down the right field line which just stayed fair for his first home run of the season.

UAB came back to take a 2-1 lead in the bottom half of the first as Bell grounded a single through the right side to score Merritt for the first run of the inning. Bell then moved up to second on a wild pitch and then stole third to put himself in position to score on a single through the left side by McMurry.

The Blazers blew the game open in the second by getting five runs across to take a 7-1 lead. Merritt drove in the first two runs of the inning with an RBI-double to right field and then Bell launched his team-leading seventh home run of the season for a two-run shot.

Baker homered once again in the third, this time delivering a two-run blast over the right field wall to cut the margin to 7-3, but the Blazers responded with one run in the fourth and then two more in the fifth on a two-run triple to right field by catcher Allen Aubin to open up a 10-3 lead.

Both teams scored one run in the sixth with UAB's being on Merritt's solo homer.

UAB will next be in action when it resumes Conference USA play on Friday when it hosts Houston at 7:00 p.m.