The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
at Houston*
Blazers Take Down Houston, 7-4, In 10 Innings
3/26/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 26, 2005
HOUSTON, Texas -- After Houston rallied from four runs down and sent the game into extra innings, UAB scored three times in the top of tenth to defeat the Cougars, 7-4, on Saturday evening at Cougar Field. The Blazers evened up the series against the Cougars at one game apiece and improve to 4-1 in the conference, 17-6 overall. Houston falls to 10-14 and 3-2 in Conference USA.
Ryan Huffman entered the game for UAB in the bottom of the ninth inning and pitched 1.1 innings of scoreless relief to earn the victory and improve his record to 4-0 on the season. Houston's Justin Vaclavik suffered the loss after surrendering all three UAB runs in the tenth inning.
UAB's game-winning rally started when Zac Ward singled leading off the top of the tenth. After Nathan McCorkle reached on a fielder's choice, Cole Helms lined a double into the left-center field gap and Houston intentionally walked Seth Rollin to load the bases with one out. Phillip Bell then popped the first pitch he saw into short right field, but McCorkle was able to tag up from third and beat the throw to the plate, giving the Blazers the lead back. UAB added a pair of insurance runs when Helms scored on a wild pitch and Ben McCullars lined an RBI single into center field.
The Blazers got on the board first with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth inning. McCorkle singled through the right side of the infield with one out and Helms followed with his fifth home run of the season, a two-run, opposite field homer to right.
UAB added to its lead in the top of the fifth. Houston starter Kevin Roberts retired the first two batters, he issued full-count walks to Clint Toomey and Dan Stucky. After a meeting on the mound, Ward hammered Roberts' first pitch off the left-center field wall, scoring both runners and giving the Blazers a 4-0 advantage.
The Cougars finally got on the board in the bottom of the eighth inning. With Roberts reaching on a fielder's choice, Brad Lincoln singled and Bryan Pounds followed with an RBI single of his own, scoring Roberts and chasing Brown from the game. Houston shortstop Dustin Kingsbury then stepped to the plate and lined a two-run double off UAB's Eric Roberts into the right-center field gap, scoring Lincoln and Pounds and bringing the Cougars to within a run at 4-3.
A two-out Houston rally in the bottom of the ninth inning tied the game at four. Roberts barely missed the game-tying home run, smashing a triple off the right-center field wall. Lincoln then blooped a single into short right field which fell just in front of Helms' diving attempt and scored Roberts with the tying run.
The third and deciding game between UAB and Houston will begin on Easter Sunday at 1 p.m.
