CLEARWATER, Fla. – Late lead changes and fireworks best described the first double elimination game at the 2026 American Baseball Championship on Friday night at BayCare Ballpark. No. 4 UAB lost a four-run lead late only to rally with four runs in the final inning to stun No. 3 Rice by a 9-6 final score.
 
The Blazers (32-25) advanced to face either No. 5 Memphis or No. 7 Wichita State on Saturday approximately 47 minutes following game nine in another elimination game. Rice (35-24) saw its season end following a 1-2 run at the 2026 American tournament.
 
UAB got started quickly in the top of the first inning by manufacturing a run. JP Head was hit by a pitch and wound up at third base following a one-out single to right field off the bat of Landon Beaver. Alex Dupuy cashed in on the RBI opportunity with a sacrifice fly to center field that gave the Blazers a 1-0 advantage.
 
A two-out error in the field in the top of the second kept the UAB offense rolling on the scoreboard. A hot shot up the middle off the bat of Beaver allowed both Baylor Roberts and Kevin Hall Jr. to score, extending the Blazers lead to 3-0. Rice starter Ryland Urbanczyk forced Dupuy to line out to left field one batter later and strand two runners on base.
 
Kutter-Gage Webb atoned for the Rice error in the bottom of the second frame, clubbing a two-out solo home run deep and out over the right field fence. Webb’s eighth home run of the season brought the Owls within two runs at 3-1.
 
UAB manufactured another insurance run in the top of the sixth inning. Andrew Hunt led off the Blazers half with a walk and moved to third base on a single from Wesley Helms. Hunt ultimately came around to score on a safety squeeze by Austin Pierzynski, re-upping the UAB lead back to three runs at 4-1.
 
Following a bases loaded walk that made it 5-1 UAB after the top of the seventh, energy got kicked into high gear in the bottom of the frame. Hiram Bocachica Jr. clubbed a two-out, two-run home run to left field for Rice to cut back into the lead at 5-3. Michael Zito ripped an RBI single to center field three batters later to score Landon West and made it 5-4 in favor of UAB, but a throw from center field to third base retired an advancing Zachary Daigre for the final out of the seventh stanza.
 
Rice vaulted into the lead in the bottom of the eighth inning thanks to back-to-back home runs from Paul Smith and Garet Boehm to suddenly make it 6-5 Rice heading to the final inning.
 
UAB would not be denied in its last ups, scoring four runs on five hits in an eventful top of the ninth. Dupuy tied the game with a leadoff home run to right field (6-6), and RBI doubles from Hunt and Helms rocketed the Blazers back ahead 8-6. An error on a sacrifice bunt laid down by Roberts brough Helms in for the 9-6 UAB final scoreline.