The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
at Houston*
Baseball Team Falls To Houston 3-2
4/6/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 6, 2003
HOUSTON, Texas - Designated hitter Brian Martin's game-winning home run in the bottom of the ninth inning lifted Houston (17-15, 9-3 Conference USA) to a 3-2 victory over UAB (21-10, 6-5 C-USA) in Conference USA baseball action Sunday.
The Cougars swept the three-game series, winning all three games by only one run.
UAB struck first in the top of the first inning when first baseman Daniel Hill singled through the left side, bringing in center fielder Sam Clark.
The Blazers added a run in the top of the fifth inning. With runners on second and third base, right fielder Steve Martin grounded out to second base, allowing shortstop Josh Miljavac to score.
Houston answered with a run in the bottom of fifth. Second baseman Nick Bott grounded out to second base, allowing left fielder Gabe Lucas to score from third base.
The Cougars tied the score at two in the bottom of the sixth inning when right fielder Matt Farrington scored on a fielding error by Martin.
Brian Henderson (2-2) picked up the win for Houston after coming on in relief of Bryan Harris. Henderson worked three innings and gave up a hit and a walk to go along with four strikeouts. Cougar starter Garrett Mock pitched four and two-thirds innings and allowed two runs, only one of which was earned, on three hits. He walked four batters. Bryan Harris threw one and one-third innings in relief of Mock and had one walk and one strikeout.
Cody Cillo (4-3) took the loss for UAB after coming on in relief of Blazer starter Scott Gibson. Cillo worked one and two-thirds innings and allowed one run on one hit to go along with a strikeout. Gibson pitched six and two-thirds innings and allowed two runs, only one of which was earned, on five hits. He walked one and struck out six.
"We had a lot of opportunities to score runs during the ballgame and throughout the weekend," said UAB head coach Larry Giangrosso. "It seemed like we could never get the big hit. We had opportunities to make plays and we didn't. We had a chance to win all three of these games, but I thought we got away from our offensive plan. Their pitchers did a good job of not giving in. They made very few mistakes."
UAB returns home to Young Memorial Field to face No. 6 Auburn Tuesday at 7 p.m.
