UAB heads to American Tournament with momentum as Four Seed
By Steve Irvine
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA - May 17, 2026
UAB carries momentum into the American Conference Baseball Tournament despite struggles in the latter part of the season. That momentum was created over the past three days with a series victory over American Conference champion UTSA, including an offensive explosion on Saturday in San Antonio.
UAB gutted out a 7-6 win over UTSA in the series opener on Thursday, dropped a 19-9 decision on Friday when UTSA scored the final 12 runs of the seven inning game and exploded for an eye-opening 23-11 victory on Saturday. Add all that together and the Blazers clinched the No. 4 seed in the conference postseason tournament in Clearwater, Fla. with their first assignment coming on Thursday afternoon against the winner of Wednesday’s first round game between No. 5 Memphis and No. 8 Charlotte. UAB’s game will start about 45 minutes after the first game, which has first pitch scheduled for noon CT, ends.
Heading into the final week, UAB was sliding down the standings after going 1-5 over the previous two conference series. The Blazers went to San Antonio to play a UTSA that carried a two-game lead in the conference standing into the final week and needed just one victory to clinch the top seed in the tournament. The Roadrunners got that win and the No. 1 seed but UAB regained some confidence with the series win.
Thursday’s win featured a gutsy effort by starting pitcher Mason Steele, who came within two outs of throwing his first complete game of the season, Chase Ingram shutting the door with the final two outs, some outstanding defensive work by shortstop Baylor Roberts and third baseman Alex Dupuy and an offensive attack that included home runs by Roberts and Landon Beaver and two RBIs each by Beaver and Wesley Helms.
On Saturday, the Blazers used a nine-run fifth inning to open up what was a close game and the Blazers didn’t stop until the game ended after eight innings. Helms had four hits and 6 RBIs and Brady Waugh matched those 6 RBIs was going 3-for-3 with two walks at the plate. John Paul Head hit his American Conference leading 20th home run and finished with three RBIs. Helms, Head and Landon Beaver each scored four runs. The only UAB players to hit more home runs in a season than Head are Shayne Carnes (23 in 1998) and Luke Stewart (21 in 2010).
The 23 runs came within one run of tying a school record set in a 24-6 win over Alabama State in 2000. The last time UAB scored at least 23 runs came that same season in a 23-8 win over Belmont. It was the most combined runs scored in an American Conference game this season and the most runs UAB has ever scored against a conference opponent. UAB was outhit by UTSA, 19-4, but the Blazers drew 11 walks and UAB pitchers issued just three walks.
UAB improved to 31-24 overall, tying the most wins by a Casey Dunn coached team at UAB, and avoided having to play a single elimination game in the American Conference Tournament. The four lowest seeded teams – Memphis, Florida Atlantic, Wichita State and Charlotte – will play on Wednesday with the winners advancing into the double elimination portion of the tournament with top four seeds UTSA, East Carolina, Rice and UAB.