CLEARWATER, Fla. (Interstat) — David Case pitched eight innings of no-hit ball with three earned runs and five strikeouts, and Freddy Rodriguez and Marcus Smith each homered to lead Memphis past UAB 7-3 on Thursday at Spectrum Field in an American Athletic Conference matchup.

Case was the star for the Tigers, improving to 24-32 on the season despite allowing three runs on no hits. He issued two walks and hit a batter, but the UAB offense managed only two hits off him – both in the first and fourth innings – though those were not credited to Case in the official line. The right-hander retired the side in order in the second, third, fifth, sixth and eighth innings.

Memphis fell behind early. UAB scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Brady Waugh singled up the middle to drive in two runs after a walk to Jay Beaver and a hit by pitch to Andrew Dupuy loaded the bases. Andrew Hunt grounded into a double play to end the inning, but the Blazers held a 2-0 lead.

The Tigers answered emphatically in the top of the second. With one out, Tyler Harrington grounded out to second base to drive in Cox, who had singled and advanced on an error. Marcus Smith followed by crushing a two-run homer to right field, scoring Gupton who had reached on a catcher’s error. Rodriguez then launched a solo homer to right, giving Memphis a 4-2 lead.

UAB pulled within a run in the fourth. Waugh led off with a single, and Hunt doubled down the left-field line to score him, trimming the deficit to 4-3. But Hunt was thrown out trying to steal third, and Case retired the next two batters.

Memphis added three unearned runs in the seventh inning against UAB reliever Chase Ingram. Rodriguez singled, Hernandez singled and stole second, and McAbee struck out but reached on a throwing error by catcher. A fielder’s choice by Smith IV plated two runs, and a groundout by Cox drove in a third, stretching the lead to 7-3.

Carson Fair pitched a perfect ninth inning with two strikeouts for Memphis. Rodriguez finished 3-for-5 with a home run and an RBI. Smith was 1-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs. For UAB, Waugh went 2-for-4 with two RBIs, and Hunt drove in a run.

Memphis starter Brendan Conner took the loss, allowing three earned runs on six hits over five and two-thirds innings, striking out five. Ingram allowed four hits in three and one-third innings but did not allow an earned run, striking out five.

The game was the first of a neutral-site series. The teams had split a three-game series in Birmingham in late April, with UAB winning the opener 7-6 in 11 innings, Memphis taking the second 13-9, and UAB winning the finale 11-2.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Memphis 6, UAB 5, and its ELO system gave UAB a 57.70 percent probability to win.