The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
MEMPHIS*
Baseball Team Rallies For 2-1 Win Over Memphis
3/30/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 30, 2003
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - With two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning, pinch hitter Drew Connell delivered a two-run double to right field that lifted UAB (21-6, 6-2 Conference USA) to a 2-1 win and a three-game sweep of Memphis (7-18, 1-8 Conference USA) in Conference USA baseball action Sunday afternoon at Young Memorial Field. The Blazers trailed Memphis 1-0 through five innings.
Cody Cillo came on in relief of Blazer starter Scott Gibson in the ninth inning and retired Memphis in order for his fourth save of the season and his second consecutive save in the series.
Memphis took a 1-0 lead in the top of third inning. Blazer catcher Eugene Rodriguez's errant throw to second, attempting to throw out left fielder Chad House on a steal attempt, allowed right fielder Josh Payne to score from third base.
Connell pinch hit for shortstop Josh Miljavac in the eighth and brought in second baseman Seth Rollin and Rodriguez with the double.
Gibson (5-0) worked eight innings and recorded two strikeouts to remain unbeaten on the season. He allowed one run, which was unearned, on seven hits. Cillo did not allow a walk and had one strikeout.
"Today was a tough day to play baseball," said UAB head coach Larry Giangrosso. "With the wind blowing in so hard today, it was tough for both teams. "We got a great performance out of Scott Gibson. I thought their pitchers did a great job with our hitters. We had runners early all over the place and couldn't get a hit. Then the freshman (Drew Connell) comes up big for us again."
Bill Edwards (1-4) took the loss for Memphis after coming on in relief of Tiger starter Brandon Rowan in the fifth inning. Edwards worked three and one-third innings and allowed two runs on two hits. He walked two and struck out four. Rowan pitched four and two-thirds innings and surrendered one walk to go along with four strikeouts.
UAB next travels to Starkville, Miss. Tuesday to take on No. 9 Mississippi State Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.
"I know Mississippi State is playing really well," said Giangrosso. "We didn't play well when we faced them here earlier this season. I think they are playing better now that they were when we first played them. We also go to Houston this weekend, so it is a big week for us."
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