Box Score (HTML) | Box Score (PDF)

FINAL: Ohio 2 (3-3), UAB (3-4) 1 - Birmingham, Ala. (Regions Field)

OHIO STARTERS: Manny De Jesus (CF), Ty Black (2B), Mitch Longo (LF), John Adryan (3B), Cody Gaertner (DH), Rudy Rott (1B), Tony Giannini (RF), Anthony Mrosla (C), Tyler Finkler (SS), Jake Rudnicki (P) 

UAB STARTERS: Brewer Hicklen (CF), Evan Peterson (3B), Esteban Tresgallo (C), Griffin Gum (RF), Carter Pharis (DH), Riley McCown (LF), Jacob Armstrong (1B), Adam Smith (SS), Blake Johnson (2B), Tanner Graham (P)

THE BASICS
The Ohio baseball team (3-3) climbed back to .500 and defeated host UAB (3-4), 2-1, on Sunday (Feb. 28) behind a strong start from junior right-handed starting pitcher Jake Rudnicki (Toledo, Ohio) in the third and final game of a three-game weekend series at Regions Field in Birmingham, Ala. 

The Bobcats took one of three games in the weekend series against the Blazers. UAB posted a 15-6 triumph over Ohio in the series opener on Friday (Feb. 26) and defeated the Bobcats, 7-2, on Saturday (Feb 27).

HOW IT HAPPENED
• Rudnicki earned his first pitching win of the 2016 season as he tossed eight innings, allowing one unearned run on two hits, four walks and two hit batters to go along with a career-high 10 strikeouts in eight innings.
• Redshirt senior right-handed reliever Eddie Fitzpatrick (North Attleboro, Mass.) tallied his first save for the Bobcats, strikinng out one while allowing one hit and hitting one batter in a scoreless ninth inning.
• The Bobcats outhit the Blazers, 5-3.
• Sophomore right fielder Tony Giannini (Carmel, Ind.) went 2-for-3 with a go-ahead two-run home run in the top of the seventh inning.
• Senior center fielder Manny De Jesus (Caguas, Puerto Rico) and junior shortstop Tyler Finkler (Olmsted Falls, Ohio) each recorded a double while redshirt senior catcher Cody Gaertner (Pittsburgh, Pa.) tallied a single for the Bobcats.
• UAB freshman right-hander Tanner Graham tossed five scoreless innings, allowing four hits with no walks and two strikeouts.
• Junior southpaw reliever Thomas Lowery took his first loss of the season for the Blazers, permitting two earned runs on one hit and one walk. He struck out five.
• UAB senior shortstop Adam Smith went 1-for-4 with one RBI
• Freshman infielder Tanner Pharis went 1-for-2 with a double and a walk for the Blazers. 
• The Blazers took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second when Smith drove in junior left fielder Riley McCown, who reached on a hit-by-pitch and advanced to second on an Ohio error.
• Ohio took the lead in the top of the seventh when Giannini hit a two-out, go-ahead two-run home run, driving in senior third baseman John Adryan (Delran, N.J.), who reached on a leadoff walk.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
• Giannini hit the first home run of his Bobcat career.
• Rudnicki recorded a career-high 10 strikeouts.

UP NEXT
The Bobcats continue their spring break road trip, traveling to Kennesaw State to take on the Owls on Tuesday (March 1) at 5 p.m. ET at Stillwell Baseball Stadium in Kennesaw, Ga.

#BleedGreen