The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Houston
Baseball Knocks Off #8 Houston Sunday
3/17/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 17, 2002
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Right fielder Eric Lyon drove in two runs with a first-inning home run, starter Ross Dobbins held Houston scoreless for five innings and reliever Tony Falls closed the game with two scoreless innings as UAB defeated the eighth-ranked Cougars 6-2 in the third game of a Conference USA weekend series Sunday at Young Memorial Field.
UAB (8-11, 1-2 C-USA) took the lead early as Lyon slammed a two-run shot down the right field line in the bottom of the first off Cougar starter <>Gene Flores.
The game was scoreless until the top of the sixth when Houston center fielder Michael Bourn led off with a double down the left field line and scored on designated hitter Hyung Cho's RBI single.
The Blazers responded with three runs in the bottom of the sixth, as designated hitter Quincy Williams drove in Lyon with an RBI single and catcher Justin Miller and left fielder Jeremy Moran both drove in runs with fielder's choice grounders, giving UAB a 5-1 lead.
UAB added an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh as second baseman Seth Rollin reached on a single and eventually scored from third on a balk by Houston's Flores.
UAB's Dobbins, who did not allow a walk for seven full innings, tired in the eighth and loaded the bases with three consecutive walks. After Dobbins was replaced by Falls, Houston second baseman Stuart Musselwhite drove in Bourn with a one-out single. Falls who struck out the first batter he faced, catcher Chris Snyder, then induced an inning-ending double-play off the bat of shortstop Jesse Crain.
Falls retired the first two batters he faced in the top of the ninth, but the Cougars (15-5, 2-1 C-USA) threatened to rally as left fielder Gabe Lucas and Bourn reached on consecutive bunt singles. The next batter, right fielder Anthony Scalise, hit a line drive to the left of second base that appeared to be headed to center field for a hit, but UAB shortstop Mark Garner made a leaping catch to end the game.
Dobbins (2-0) worked seven complete innings, allowing two runs on seven hits with three walks (all in the eighth inning) and five strikeouts. Falls earned his first save of the season with two complete innings of work, allowing no runs on three hits with no walks and two strikeouts.
Flores (1-1) allowed five runs on four hits, with five walks and two strikeouts in five and 1/3 innings.
UAB returns to action Tuesday (Mar. 19) at Auburn, and travels to Charlotte for a Conference USA series next weekend.
