BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Alabama A&M (0-5, 0-0 SWAC) pulled ahead in the early innings and stayed within striking distance until the eighth before a pair of runs helped seal a 7-3 Alabama-Birmingham (5-2, 0-0 C-USA) victory in an NCAA Division I baseball game on Sunday, February 28.
 
Following a 1-2-3 top of the first, UAB would get on the board in the bottom half of the inning as Caleb Floyd launched a solo shot to left center for a 1-0 lead that would hold until the top of the third.
 
In that frame, the Bulldogs would benefit from back-to-back hit batsmen to lead off the inning and would move them to second and third with one out. With two outs after a ground out, sophomore third baseman Trevor Berkemeyer (North Las Vegas, Nev.) poked a single through to right field that scored both runners and put A&M up 2-1.
 
Both clubs would then go down in order in each of their next half innings and the Bulldogs would maintain that one run lead through the top of the sixth. It would be the home half of that inning that saw the Blazers break through with consecutive singles followed by a wild pitch and an intentional walk to load the bases.
 
The effort to setup the double play and avoid a big inning, however, was thwarted as Zack Davis singled to second to bring home two runs and Thomas Johnston reached on a fielders' choice to make it 4-2. AAMU would then get a ground out and a fly out to end the inning but the damage was already done.
 
They would come right back in the top of the seventh, however, as freshman shortstop Carlos Mas (Bayamon, Puerto Rico) doubled with one out and senior first baseman Brock Mitchell (Brownsboro, Ala.) walked. On that play the ball got away from the catcher, allowing Mas to third.
 
He would then score on the next play when freshman second baseman Jalen Ford (Birmingham, Ala.) laid down a sacrifice bunt to pull to within 4-3. Following a walk, any further thoughts of tying it up that inning were dashed as the Blazers held on to the lead with a strikeout.
 
UAB would then add another run in the home half of the inning and tack on two more in the eighth before closing out the 7-3 victory an inning later.
 
Berkemeyer led the way for Alabama A&M with a pair of RBIs while Mas had a double and a run scored in four at bats. Jalen Ford picked up a run and an RBI and Mitchell was 1-for-1 with a run and a walk. On the hill, junior pitcher Peyton Baker (Acworth, Ga.) started and went six innings, scattering six hits and allowing four runs against three strikeouts to fall to 0-1 on the young season.
 
Floyd paced UAB with a 2-for-4 day that included a home run and a pair of runs scored while Zack Davis had two hits, a run and an RBI in four at bats. Chandler Simpson roped an RBI triple for his lone hit on the day and Johnston and Jon Marc Mullins each added an RBI. Carson Knight collected his first win of the season (1-0) as he pitched 6.1 innings, surrendering just two earned runs and striking out three.
 
The Bulldogs are now off until opening Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) play next weekend as they head to Arkansas-Pine Bluff for a three-game set. That series is set for March 5-7 with 2 p.m. starts on the first two days and a 1 p.m. first pitch in the finale.