BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Ben Thoma homered and Brent McNeil put together his best start of the season but UAB overcame a 2-0 deficit and went on to hand Eastern Illinois baseball its third walk-off loss of the year, 4-3, Sunday afternoon in the rubber game of the series.

With the game tied 3-3, UAB's Ryan Ussery led off the bottom of the ninth with a double down the left field and moved to third base on a sac bunt. Pinch hitter Devin Hamilton played the hero with a single to left.

 

Matt Miller suffered the loss for the Panthers (1-8). He has been tagged with the loss in all three walk-off defeats. Five of EIU's eight losses have come in one-run games.

 

Eastern took a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the sixth but UAB (6-3) scored three times in the inning thanks to two hits, two sacrifices, a walk and an EIU error. The Panthers were able to tie the game in the top of the seventh on an RBI groundout from Ryan Dineen.

 

“We made a switch in the lineup and were playing three freshmen (Daniel Rowe, Nick Priessman and Dineen) with more lefties,” EIU head coach Jim Schmitz said. “Dineen was outstanding at second base. Danny Rowe had been struggling defensively but we wanted to keep his bat in there. We liked how the lineup matched up versus righthanders. We had a lot of two-out hits yesterday but overall we're still not swinging the bats real well. [UAB] threw the ball pretty well though.

 

“The defense was better and I was excited to see our pitching improve. McNeil was outstanding today. Same goes for [Mike] Hoekstra yesterday. It was great to see him finish the game and help us win. I'll take today's loss. Late in the game, we weren't in the right positions defensively on two balls they hit. [Miller] made some great pitches. Close games are often won or lost based on mistakes. We weren't where we needed to be and that's on me. We've got to win the close ones, which we haven't yet.”

 

Thoma homered to leadoff the fourth inning, his first long ball of the season and ninth career, and finished the day 2-for-4. Eastern were limited to five hits. Alex Gee and Priessman did draw a pair of walks each.

McNeil worked five-plus innings, giving up three runs (one earned) on three singles and three walks. He went out for the sixth inning but was unable to record an out before giving way to the EIU bullpen. He was charged with an error on a sacrifice bunt by the final batter he faced.

 

McNeil fanned five in his longest outing of the season, striking out the side in the second inning. He did not give up a hit until the fourth inning and then picked that runner off at first base.

 

But an inning-opening walk to the No. 9 hitter ignited UAB's three-run rally in the sixth. Leadoff man Jamal Austin followed with a base hit. The Blazers opted to move both runners in scoring position with a bunt and it turned into a bases loaded situation when McNeil could not handle the sacrifice cleanly.

 

Rich Ruff took over on the mound and retired the No. 3 and 4 hitters in the UAB lineup. But runs scored on both outs – a sacrifice fly to right and a ground ball to first base that led to a fielder's choice at second. The Blazers then took the lead on a two-out single.

 

Miller kept EIU in the game by recording the final out of the sixth inning with the bases loaded. The reliever also picked off a runner at first base in the seventh and struck out a pair over 2 2/3 innings.

 

Eastern stranded the potential go-ahead run at third base in the eighth inning. UAB reliever Nick Graffeo (1-1) then struck out the side in the ninth.

 

Priessman led off the seventh with a walk and took second on a wild pitch. Rowe moved his classmate to third with a sacrifice bunt and Dineen plated the game-tying run with a ground ball to the right side.

 

Richie Derbak scored EIU's second run of the day in the sixth inning when he walked, went first to third on a base hit by Cam Strang and scampered home on a wild pitch.

 

The Panthers were unable to capitalize on a scoring opportunity in the fifth inning. Gerik Wallsten led off with a single and Priessman followed with a walk. Rowe advanced both runners with a sac bunt. A comebacker off the bat of Dineen led to Wallsten getting tagged out between third and home. UAB starter Beau Pender then struck out Zach Borenstein to end the inning. Pender recorded the final out of an inning via the strikeout in four of the six frames he worked.

 

Eastern returns to action Tuesday when it opens midweek play at Indiana State. The first pitch in Terre Haute is slated for 2 p.m. (CST).