UAB is 9-10 on the season and 2-1 in conference play. They won a road series at Marshall last week to open Conference USA play.
They defeated Alabama 6-4 on Tuesday night at Regions Field which is where the Blazers play their home games.
The Blazers were picked to finish 11th out of 12 teams in the preseason poll. Tech has to get this series.
On the mound, they will likely run out Tanner Graham, Ryan Ruggles, and Ryan Wesson. Graham is a right-hander, while Ruggles and Wesson are both lefties. That’s the rotation they went with to open conference play at least.
For the season, Graham has a 2.13 era in 25.1 innings pitched. He has allowed 23 hits, walked 7, and struck out 28. Oddly enough, he has yet to pick up a win in 2018. He has made 5 appearances with 4 of those being starts.
Ruggles has a 2.41 era in 18.2 innings pitched in 2018. He has allowed 18 hits, walked 6, and struck out 17. He has made 7 appearances overall while starting 3 games.
Wesson has a 3.04 era in 26.2 innings pitched. He has allowed 28 hits, walked 1, and struck out 20. All five of his appearances have been starts.
In a tight game late, Carson Jones will enter the ball game. He was in their rotation a year ago, but has moved to the bullpen in 2018. He has 8 appearances in 2018, all in relief, and has a 3.29 era. He has thrown 13.1 innings, allowed 11 hits, walked 6, and struck out 11. He is a right-hander.
Isaiah Montoya-Gonzales is another key reliever. He has a 3.38 era in 16 innings pitched. He has allowed 13 hits, walked 8, and struck out 15. He is a right-hander.
Ty Harris is another go-to reliever. He has made 11 appearances, all in relief, and has thrown 17 innings, allowed 12 hits, walked 4, and struck out 22. The right-hander has a 3.71 era.
As a team, the Blazers have a 3.05 team era which is very good. They have allowed 150 hits in 171 innings pitched. They are limiting opponents to a .239 average while walking 70 and have struck out 176.
Offensively, UAB is terrible and that is putting it nicely. The Blazers are hitting .233 overall and averaging 3.8 runs per game. They have hit only 3 home runs on the season, heck they have only 25 extra base hits. They are slugging .286 as a team which ranks 283rd in the nation! There are only 297 teams.
Shortstop, Antonio Ralat is one of the better draft prospects in the league, ranking #14 in the preseason, but he has really struggled at the plate. He is hitting .232 overall with only 1 extra base hit.
First baseman Carter Pharis is probably their best overall hitter. He is hitting .239 with 1 home run and 11 RBI. He has only 2 extra base hits in 2018.
They don’t have one hitter that is hitting over .300. Tech pitchers have to be licking their chops to get a shot at these guys.
Mason Mallard had a phenomenal week for Tech. He was 2-4 with two home runs, 4 RBI, and 3 walks. He’s moved down some in the lineup to the 5-hole and appears much more comfortable. For the season, he is hitting .310 with a .400 OBP. He has 12 extra base hits to lead the team with 8 stolen bases.
After last night’s performance, Tyler Follis ranks 13th in the country with a 0.77 ERA. Matt Miller is 17th in the country with a 0.84 ERA. Leal is 35th with a 1.35 ERA.
As a team, Tech remains second in the country with a 1.93 ERA.
It was nice to see Graham Ahlrich return to the mound last night. He looked solid.
It’s clear at this point that Braxton Smith is the go-to guy out of the bullpen with Griffen and Hasler behind him. If Ahlrich and Logan can develop into solid options as well, I’ll feel even better about this staff.
What they are doing is unheard of. It’s is truly remarkable and something that we might not ever see again.
I know I’ve said 30 wins and 5-7 finish in conference play would satisfy me. Not anymore. This team can compete for a conference championship and they can win 37-40 games. We’ll see what happens.
They defeated Alabama 6-4 on Tuesday night at Regions Field which is where the Blazers play their home games.
The Blazers were picked to finish 11th out of 12 teams in the preseason poll. Tech has to get this series.
On the mound, they will likely run out Tanner Graham, Ryan Ruggles, and Ryan Wesson. Graham is a right-hander, while Ruggles and Wesson are both lefties. That’s the rotation they went with to open conference play at least.
For the season, Graham has a 2.13 era in 25.1 innings pitched. He has allowed 23 hits, walked 7, and struck out 28. Oddly enough, he has yet to pick up a win in 2018. He has made 5 appearances with 4 of those being starts.
Ruggles has a 2.41 era in 18.2 innings pitched in 2018. He has allowed 18 hits, walked 6, and struck out 17. He has made 7 appearances overall while starting 3 games.
Wesson has a 3.04 era in 26.2 innings pitched. He has allowed 28 hits, walked 1, and struck out 20. All five of his appearances have been starts.
In a tight game late, Carson Jones will enter the ball game. He was in their rotation a year ago, but has moved to the bullpen in 2018. He has 8 appearances in 2018, all in relief, and has a 3.29 era. He has thrown 13.1 innings, allowed 11 hits, walked 6, and struck out 11. He is a right-hander.
Isaiah Montoya-Gonzales is another key reliever. He has a 3.38 era in 16 innings pitched. He has allowed 13 hits, walked 8, and struck out 15. He is a right-hander.
Ty Harris is another go-to reliever. He has made 11 appearances, all in relief, and has thrown 17 innings, allowed 12 hits, walked 4, and struck out 22. The right-hander has a 3.71 era.
As a team, the Blazers have a 3.05 team era which is very good. They have allowed 150 hits in 171 innings pitched. They are limiting opponents to a .239 average while walking 70 and have struck out 176.
Offensively, UAB is terrible and that is putting it nicely. The Blazers are hitting .233 overall and averaging 3.8 runs per game. They have hit only 3 home runs on the season, heck they have only 25 extra base hits. They are slugging .286 as a team which ranks 283rd in the nation! There are only 297 teams.
Shortstop, Antonio Ralat is one of the better draft prospects in the league, ranking #14 in the preseason, but he has really struggled at the plate. He is hitting .232 overall with only 1 extra base hit.
First baseman Carter Pharis is probably their best overall hitter. He is hitting .239 with 1 home run and 11 RBI. He has only 2 extra base hits in 2018.
They don’t have one hitter that is hitting over .300. Tech pitchers have to be licking their chops to get a shot at these guys.
Mason Mallard had a phenomenal week for Tech. He was 2-4 with two home runs, 4 RBI, and 3 walks. He’s moved down some in the lineup to the 5-hole and appears much more comfortable. For the season, he is hitting .310 with a .400 OBP. He has 12 extra base hits to lead the team with 8 stolen bases.
After last night’s performance, Tyler Follis ranks 13th in the country with a 0.77 ERA. Matt Miller is 17th in the country with a 0.84 ERA. Leal is 35th with a 1.35 ERA.
As a team, Tech remains second in the country with a 1.93 ERA.
It was nice to see Graham Ahlrich return to the mound last night. He looked solid.
It’s clear at this point that Braxton Smith is the go-to guy out of the bullpen with Griffen and Hasler behind him. If Ahlrich and Logan can develop into solid options as well, I’ll feel even better about this staff.
What they are doing is unheard of. It’s is truly remarkable and something that we might not ever see again.
I know I’ve said 30 wins and 5-7 finish in conference play would satisfy me. Not anymore. This team can compete for a conference championship and they can win 37-40 games. We’ll see what happens.
