CLEARWATER, Fla. (Interstat) — Mason Steele pitched five scoreless innings and UAB held on to defeat Rice 9-6 in an American Athletic Conference tournament game Friday evening at Spectrum Field.

Steele allowed no hits and one earned run while striking out seven for the Blazers, who improved to 32-25. Alex Dupuy homered and drove in two runs, and Wesley Helms added two hits and two RBIs. UAB notched nine hits and three sacrifice hits, breaking the game open with a five-run ninth inning.

Rice fell to 35-24 despite four home runs. Kutter-Gage Webb, Bocachica, Paul Smith and Garet Boehm each went deep for the Owls. Ryland Urbanczyk took the loss, allowing three hits and two earned runs over five innings with three strikeouts.

The Blazers took an early lead on a sacrifice fly in the first and added two unearned runs in the second. Rice chipped away, but UAB’s late surge proved decisive. The teams had split their regular-season series earlier this month, with Rice winning all three games in Houston.