The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
South Florida
Baseball Wins A Thriller In Season Finale
5/18/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 18, 2002
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Catcher Pete Giangrosso's squeeze bunt with one out in the bottom of the 12th inning brought home second baseman Seth Rollin with the winning run as UAB defeated South Florida 4-3 in Conference USA baseball action Saturday at Young Memorial Field.
It was the season finale for UAB (16-40, 7-23 C-USA). South Florida (31-25, 16-14 C-USA) moves on to next week's Conference USA Tournament in Kinston, N.C.
UAB reliever Cody Cillo (2-2) worked nine and 2/3 innings in relief of starter Jeff Brown, holding the Bulls scoreless and allowing only one hit, with two walks and five strikeouts. It was the longest outing of the season for Cillo, a junior from Lynwood, Wash., who made all 27 of his appearances out of the bullpen in 2002.
After leaving runners on third base in the seventh and 10th innings, UAB got the job done in the bottom of the 12th. With one out in the inning, Rollin beat out a slow roller to the left side that USF shortstop Myron Leslie was forced to field barehanded. Shortstop Mark Garner then doubled over the head of Bulls' left fielder Mike Cunningham, moving Rollin to third.
Giangrosso, the son of UAB Head Coach Larry Giangrosso, then pushed a suicide squeeze bunt down the first base line that South Florida first baseman Ronnie Handley was unable to field cleanly, and Rollin crossed home plate with the winning run.
South Florida took a scored a run in each of the first three innings. Third baseman Jeff Baisley drove in one in the first with a single that scored Cunningham, catcher Devin Ivany scored on a sacrifice fly by designated hitter Chris Cuccia in the second, and Ivan brought in Leslie with a sacrifice fly in the third.
UAB scored two runs in the second inning as third baseman Matt Gaulden and Garner each had RBI singles.
The Blazers tied the game in the bottom of the seventh, as designated hitter Joe Yarbrough singled moved to third on a double by Garner, and scored on a wild pitch by USF starter John Gorham.
South Florida reliever Joey Livingston (1-3) took the loss, working three complete innings, allowing one run on one hit, with one walk and two strikeouts.
UAB's Garner, one of eight Blazer seniors playing their final game on Saturday, went three-for-five with two doubles - including the one that set up the winning run in the 12th inning.
