The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
TOLEDO
Blazers Defeat Toledo 3-2
3/6/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 6, 2004
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Center fielder Levi Patmon singled through the right side, allowing J.R. Bond to score the go-ahead run in the bottom of the seventh inning and lift UAB to a 3-2 victory over Toledo in baseball action Saturday afternoon at Young Memorial Field.
Catcher Ben McCullars reached on an error by Rocket shortstop Chris Arvay to begin the inning. Bond then came on to pinch run for McCullars. Third baseman Zac Ward advanced Bond to second on a 1-4 sacrifice bunt before Patmon, a true freshman from Clay-Chalkville High School in Clay, Ala., delivered the game-winning RBI.
Blazer reliever and Hueytown, Ala. native Eric Roberts (2-0) picked up the win for UAB (9-2) after coming on in relief on Blazer starter Jacob Legg in the top of the seventh inning. Roberts worked two innings and allowed three hits, no runs or walks and recorded two strikeouts. Matt Fowles pitched the final inning for UAB and recorded his first save of the season. Fowles allowed one hit, no runs or walks and posted two strikeouts.
Legg pitched six innings and gave up two runs on five hits, walked two and struck out four.
"Levi (Patmon) has made a lot of progress since the first of the year," said UAB head coach Larry Giangrosso. "He came to us a very good player and it was just a matter of time before he adjusted from high school to college. He stepped up there and made a very big play. Eric (Roberts) can throw just about every day and the more he throws, the better he gets. His pitching was huge for us today. Matt (Fowles) threw real well today. We were real pleased with his performance. I thought Jacob Legg just really pitched outstanding today. It's always big to have an opportunity to sweep a series. It does wonders for your confidence. In college baseball, it's tough to beat somebody three times. We have to come in here and really go to work tomorrow."
Rocket starter Kurt Woeste (0-1) took the loss for Toledo (0-5) after pitching a complete game and allowing three runs, none of which were earned, on eight hits. He had five strikeouts and did not issue a walk.
UAB took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning on first baseman Daniel Hill's double to center field that scored Patmon and right fielder Cole Helms.
Toledo tied the score in the top of the seventh inning when center fielder Sean Dobson doubled to left field, scoring third baseman Dan Stong and second baseman Matt Ruth.
UAB will try for a three-game sweep of Toledo Sunday at 1 p.m.
