May 12, 2009
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Ben Bullard, a pitcher from Austin High School in Decatur, Ala., has committed to play baseball for UAB.
Bullard recently closed out his senior season at Austin for coach Jake Miles with a 7-2 record on the mound and an ERA under 3.00. He struck out 76 batters and walked only 17 in 60 innings of work. Bullard also pitched five complete games in 2009.
"Ben had an outstanding career and capped it off with a great senior season," UAB head coach Brian Shoop said. "He has a power breaking ball that should make him effective at this level. Ben will be a great addition to our pitching staff, and we are very pleased that he will be pitching in a Blazer uniform the next several years."
The ace of his high school staff for four seasons, Bullard went 5-2 on the mound with a 0.98 ERA as a junior in 2008 on his way to Decatur Daily all-area and 6A all-state honorable mention recognition. He was also selected as an Alabama Baseball Coaches Association North-South All-Star and named to the ALABCA Top 100. For his junior year, Bullard struck out 74 batters in 57 innings, earned two shutouts and threw a no-hitter against Northview Dothan.
In addition to his baseball success, Bullard has also been active in the Austin High School student body. A member of the National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society, he has also participated in several clubs and the school's Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter.
"Ben is another outstanding student who our admissions office was glad to add to our student body," Shoop said. "He, like our other signees, should excel in the classroom and continue the excellence in academic standards that our current players have now established for this baseball program. We sincerely believe we can succeed both academically and athletically, and Ben fits this mold perfectly."
Bullard is the son of Barry and Belinda Miles. Shoop coached Bullard's uncle, Clete Walker, in 1990 when he was the head coach at Birmingham-Southern.
"There was a family connection, and we couldn't be happier to have a `second round' of the Walker/Bullard family in our program. Just like Clete, Ben is a great young man who will represent UAB in a first class manner on and off the field."
Bullard joins Charles DiBella (Germantown, Tenn./Houston HS), John Frost (Decatur, Ala./Decatur HS), Jacob German (Hoschton, Ga./Mill Creek HS), Mason Hutchins (Daphne, Ala./Daphne HS), Ryan Ussery (Marietta, Ga./Pope HS) and Harry Clark (Memphis, Tenn./White Station HS) as newcomers for the Blazers in the 2009-10 academic year.