The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Southern Miss
Baseball Wins A Thriller Over Southern Miss Sunday
4/28/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 28, 2002
The
UAB Blazers, who suffered
ninth-inning defeats to Southern Miss
on Friday and Saturday, got a three-run homer from right fielder Eric Lyon and strong relief pitching
from left-hander Jon Burgett and
held on for a 5-4 victory over the Golden Eagles Sunday at Young Memorial
Field.
UAB
(14-29, 6-15 C-USA) salvaged one victory in the three-game Conference USA
series after suffering heartbreak with a 5-4 loss to the Golden Eagles Friday
evening and a 7-6 defeat on Saturday.
"It
was a very dramatic series," said UAB Head Coach Larry Giangrosso following Sunday's win.
"Any
time you have both teams play the way they did this weekend, it's going to be a
great series. Both teams had good pitching and both teams hit the ball."
Southern
Miss (29-16, 13-7 C-USA) took a 3-0 lead in the top of the third inning as left
fielder Jeff Cook - hero of
Saturday's win with a two-run, ninth-inning homer - slammed a three-run shot to
right center off UAB starter Jeff Brown.
UAB
closed the gap to 3-2 in the bottom of the fourth.
The
Blazers took a 5-3 lead in the bottom of the fifth as center fielder Mitch Jones singled with one out, moved
to third on a single by first baseman Matt
Womble, and both scored on Lyon's three-run homer off Southern Miss starter
Charlie Rogers.
Southern
Miss scored a run in the sixth as designated hitter Jason Lowery led off with a walk, moved to third on a single by
center fielder Carlos Velasquez,
then scored as third baseman Allen
Winningham singled up the middle.
UAB
found itself in uncomfortably familiar circumstances entering the ninth,
leading 5-4. Burgett, who relieved Brown
in the fourth inning, struck out shortstop Matt
Shepherd to start the inning, but then walked Velasquez to put the tying
run on base. He then retired Winningham on a long fly ball to the center field
warning track and struck out Blazer-killer Cook swinging to end the game.
The
five and 2/3 innings was the longest outing of the 2002 season for Burgett
(1-2), a junior from
"Jon
(Burgett) came in today and pitched very well," said
Giangrosso.
"His
last couple of outings have been really good, and
today he was able to locate the ball on both sides of the plate with velocity
and he had a good breaking pitch. At the end there, he had to go and get some good
hitters out and get us out of a jam."
Giangrosso said that he
felt confident enough in Burgett's performance to leave him in the game for the
ninth inning and not go to the bullpen, as he did on Friday and Saturday.
"Jon
matches up really well with Southern Miss, and he was able to locate the
ball. If you can do that you've got a
chance. Southern Miss has some really good hitters - just look at guys like
Cook and Winningham - they're outstanding and they can beat you."
Southern
Miss starter Rogers (5-2) took the loss, working five
complete innings and allowing five runs on seven hits, with three walks and
three strikeouts. Reliever Daniel
Stewart worked the final three innings, allowing no runs on two hits, with
one walk and three strikeouts.
UAB
starter Brown worked three and 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on five hits, with
three walks and two strikeouts.
