Box Score
TAMPA, Fla. – The No. 6 seed University of Alabama in Huntsville baseball team dropped an 11-5 decision to the eighth-seeded Stillman Tigers in the winner's bracket final at the NCAA Division II South Region Tournament on Saturday at the University of Tampa Baseball Field. UAH next awaits its opponent yet to be determined in the loser's bracket final.
After the day, UAH falls to 33-23 overall, while Stillman improves to 32-16 on the year and advances to Monday's regional championship game. The loss snaps a three-game winning streak for the Chargers, who swept the Tigers in a three-game series earlier this season in Huntsville.
It was a tough evening on the base-paths for the Chargers, as the Blue and White left 13 runners on base in the game. Eric Deese led UAH at the plate, hitting 4-for-5 with three RBI. Chandler Brock was 3-for-3 with two runs scored filling in for the injured Justin Pearson, while Blake Massey went 2-for-5 in the game.
For the second straight game, the Chargers found themselves down 1-0 after the top of the first inning. The big blows came in the second and fourth innings, however, as Stillman crossed five-runs in the second and four-runs in the fourth.
Stillman loaded the bases with only one out in the second inning after having already scored two runs in the frame. Jarius Brown then legged out a RBI infield single, followed by a two RBI single by Paul Winterbottom up the middle just out of the reach of the diving UAH second baseman. The final run of the inning came on a wild pitch before a single and balk marked the end of starting pitcher Johnny Shuttlesworth's night. Dana Wright came on in relief and likely saved another run, jumping to grab a chopper up the middle to throw out the runner at first and get UAH out of the inning.
The Chargers got on the board in the bottom of the third inning, striking for two runs in the frame. With runners on the corners and only one out, Deese dropped a single into left field to score the first UAH run of the contest. Justin Riddle then singled to left center to load the bases, followed by a Vincent Kortbawi sac fly to cut the UAH deficit to 6-2 at the time.
Stillman countered with four runs in the top of the fourth to extend its advantage to 10-2, but the Chargers got two back in the bottom of the inning to make the score 10-4. After two quick outs in the fourth, UAH loaded up the bases on a walk, single and walk. Deese then connected on the first pitch he saw back up the middle, scoring two of the runners on base to bring the Chargers within six runs.
The Tigers plated another run in the fifth inning to go up 11-4. UAH then threatened with the bases loaded in the bottom of the fifth, but Stillman worked out of the jam, keeping its lead at 11-4 through five innings.
UAH added a run in the bottom of the seventh to make the score 11-5, but it would be the closest the Chargers would come, as they couldn't fully erase the early 6-0 deficit.
Shuttlesworth lasted only 1.2 innings, allowing six runs – five earned – on five hits, three walks and two strikeouts. Wright allowed four runs – three earned – on four hits in 2.0 innings of work, walking two and striking out two. Luke Mould finished the game for UAH on the hill, working 5.1 innings to allow just one run on six hits, three walks and four strikeouts.
The Chargers will now wait to find out who they will play in the loser's bracket final on Sunday at 3:15 p.m. ET. The second-seeded Delta State Statesmen and fifth-seeded Nova Southeastern will play Sunday at noon ET for the right to face UAH. The winner of that game will then move on to battle Stillman in the championship series for a berth to the World Series.
