Topic: Gazette: Herd settles for split

[ZackUSAF82]

St. Albans native Taylor takes loss for MU in nightcap against UAB
By Doug Smock

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A tough second inning saddled Marshall pitcher Michael Taylor with a loss in his Conference USA debut Saturday night, but his coach sees nothing but a bright future out of him.

Hampered by an error and two walks, the St. Albans native gave up five runs in that frame, allowing Alabama-Birmingham to take a 5-1 lead en route to a 12-4 victory.

That gave UAB (12-15, 2-4) a split of the doubleheader Saturday - Marshall won the opener 3-1 - and allowed the Blazers to win two in the three-game series. It was the 12th straight C-USA series loss for the Thundering Herd (11-15, 1-2), which hasn't won such a set since the middle of the 2011 season.

Taylor (3-2) received the loss but not nearly all the blame. Coach Jeff Waggoner hung with the 6-foot-6 freshman through five innings, and he gave up six runs - three unearned - on just five hits. His earned-run average climbed from a daunting 1.45 to a still-very-good 2.28.

Link: http://www.wvgazette.com/Sports/Marshall/201303300108