The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
at Houston*
UAB Win Streak Halted at Houston, 9-6
3/25/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 25, 2005
HOUSTON, Texas -- Houston jumped out to an 8-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, and UAB was never able to recover, falling 9-6 on Friday evening at Cougar Field. The Blazers (16-6, 3-1 C-USA) saw their ten-game winning streak halted by the Cougars who improve to 3-1 in C-USA games and 10-13 overall.
Last week's Conference USA Pitcher of the Week, Houston's Matt Farrington, picked up his fifth straight victory after allowing three earned runs in 6.1 innings pitched.
UAB reliever Jim Crew was effective out of the bullpen, working a career-high 5.1 innings, allowing just two hits and no runs while striking out three. Clint Toomey, Ryan Metcalf and Phillip Bell led the way offensively for the Blazers, collecting two hits and an RBI each.
Houston wasted no time breaking the game wide open in the top of the first. The Cougars sent 14 batters to the plate and scored eight runs on eight hits. Leadoff batter Jake Stewart had two hits and an RBI in the inning while Kevin Roberts, Brad Lincoln, Brett Logan and Mark McGonigle each added RBIs of their own. UAB starter Randy Mills lasted just one-third of an inning, allowing all eight of the Cougars' runs.
The Blazers got on the board with three runs in the top of the third. Bell led the inning off with a double down the left field line, moved to third when Metcalf singled, then scored on another double to left by Toomey. With that two-bagger, Toomey extended his team-best hitting streak to 14 games. After Dan Stucky was hit by a pitch, Metcalf and Toomey came around to score on a Zac Ward fielder's choice and throwing error by Houston second baseman Roberts.
A Metcalf home run on the first pitch of the top of the fifth inning brought UAB within four runs at 8-4. The homer was Metcalf's second of the season.
Trailing 9-4 in the top of the eighth, the Blazers continued to chip away with a two-out rally. Rollin started things off with a double to left, then came around to score when Bell singled through the left side of the infield. Rush Knight then brought UAB within three runs when he ripped an RBI double into right field. But Houston reliever Gene Flores struck out pinch hitter J.R. Bond with a 3-2 breaking ball to end the Blazers' scoring threat.
First pitch between the Blazers and Cougars on Saturday is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
