CLEARWATER, Fla. (Interstat) — Mason Steele pitched five hitless innings and UAB rallied in the ninth inning to defeat Rice 9-6 on Friday afternoon in an American Athletic Conference tournament game at Spectrum Field.

UAB improved to 32-25 while Rice fell to 35-24. The Blazers had nine hits and the Owls seven. Each team hit three home runs.

Steele, the top star for UAB, allowed one earned run on no hits and struck out seven over five innings. He walked two. The right-hander, who had allowed six earned runs in his previous start, left with a 4-1 lead but did not factor in the decision.

Rice starter Ryland Urbanczyk gave up two earned runs on three hits with three strikeouts over five innings.

UAB struck first in the top of the first inning. Leadoff batter Tyler Head was hit by a pitch, moved to third on a single by Jake Beaver and scored on a sacrifice fly by Alex Dupuy.

The Blazers added two unearned runs in the second. After a walk, a stolen base and a wild pitch, Head was hit by a pitch and Hall Jr. walked. Roberts and Hall Jr. scored when Beaver reached on an error by shortstop Kutter-Gage Webb.

Rice cut the lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the second when Webb homered to right field.

Both teams went scoreless over the next three innings. UAB extended its lead in the sixth. Hunt walked, advanced to third on a single by Wesley Helms and scored on a sacrifice bunt by Pierzynski.

The UAB bullpen faltered in the seventh. With Rice trailing 5-1, Bocachica hit a two-run homer and Zito added an RBI single to pull the Owls within 5-4.

In the eighth, Rice took the lead. Paul Smith homered to right center and Garet Boehm followed with a solo shot to right, giving the Owls a 6-5 advantage.

UAB answered in the top of the ninth. Dupuy led off with a solo homer to right to tie the game. After a single and a hit batter, Hunt doubled to left center to score Cheeseman, putting the Blazers ahead 7-6. Helms doubled down the right-field line to score Hunt, and Roberts reached on a throwing error by pitcher Thames on a sacrifice bunt, allowing Helms to score the final run.

UAB’s Helms finished 2 for 4 with two RBIs. Dupuy went 1 for 4 with a home run and two RBIs. For Rice, Webb, Smith, Boehm and Bocachica each homered.

Rice relief pitchers Brayden Sharp, Ethan Atchley, Logan Voelz, Thames and Diaz combined for five innings, allowing four earned runs on seven hits.

UAB closer Miller surrendered two runs in the eighth but earned the win. Keplinger pitched two innings of relief for UAB.

The Blazers made three sacrifice hits. Rice committed three errors.

UAB had lost its previous game to Memphis 7-3 and had been swept by Rice in a three-game series at Houston earlier this month, losing 10-3, 16-9 and 12-2.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Rice 7, UAB 3. Interstat’s ELO system gave UAB a 52.60 percent probability to win the game.