Box Score MOBILE, Alabama – The Northwestern State baseball pitching staff was equal parts stingy and giving Saturday morning in the second game of the South Alabama Jaguar Classic.
 
Three Demon pitchers combined to surrender just two hits to UAB, but the NSU pitching staff uncorked six wild pitches and hit four batters as the Blazers handed the Demons their second straight one-run loss, 4-3, at Eddie Stanky Field.
 
Mere hours after being held to two hits in an opening-night loss to tournament host South Alabama on Friday night, the Demon offense was more productive against the Blazers, outhitting UAB (1-1) 6-2.
 
The Demons (0-2) went 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position, although both hits delivered all three of the Demons' runs.
 
Jake Haze had the first, rocketing a game-tying, two-run double to left-center in the fourth inning before freshman Michael Dattalo singled home another game-tying run in the sixth.
 
Dattalo had hits in each of his first three at-bats and has gone 4-for-8 in the first two games of his collegiate career. His single in the sixth put runners on first and second with nobody out before Jeffrey Elkins sacrificed the runners up 90 feet.
 
UAB reliever Thomas Ballard escaped further damage keeping the Demons from taking their first lead of the game.
 
An inning later, the Demons were unable to muster a similar escape. After NSU left runners on the corners, Gus Collins (0-1) hit John Marc Mullins to start the Blazers seventh.
 
Collins got Ben Abernathy to ground into a fielder's choice before Abernathy stole second and took third on a wild pitch. Kyle Froehlich relieved Collins and threw a run-scoring wild pitch that gave UAB its third and final lead of the game.
 
Abernathy closed the game with two scoreless innings of relief, striking out three to earn the save as Jonah Smith (1-0) picked up the win after recording the final two outs of the seventh inning.
 
NSU right-hander Alex Makarewich made the first start of his career, striking out three and scattering two hits in four-plus innings. UAB starter Carson Myers took a no-decision as well after allowing two runs in five innings of work.
 
The Demons wrap up their stay in Mobile with another 11 a.m. contest, facing Eastern Kentucky, which is managed by former Demon Chris Prothro, on Sunday.
 
UAB 4, Northwestern State 3
NSU       000 201 000 – 3 6 1
UAB       020 010 100 – 4 2 0
W – Jonah Smith (1-0). L – Gus Collins (0-1). S – Ben Abernathy (1). 2B – NSU, Jake Haze. 3B – NSU, Bailyn Sorensen. Highlights: NSU, Michael Dattalo 3-4, RBI.
Records: Northwestern State 0-2, UAB 1-1.