The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
at LSU
Blazers Take Down No. 2 LSU, 4-3
3/6/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 6, 2005
BATON ROUGE, La. -- UAB junior Randy Mills pitched a season-high seven innings and picked up his first victory of the year as the Blazers defeated second-ranked LSU, 4-3, on Sunday afternoon at Alex Box Stadium. Mills held the Tiger offense to just three runs, all in the third inning, and Cole Helms hit what proved to be the game-winning home run in the top of the sixth. The win was UAB's first against LSU since the 1982 season and improves the Blazers to 7-5 while dropping the Tigers to 11-3.
MIlls improves to 1-0 while Eric Roberts earned his first save of the season with two scoreless innings of work out of the bullpen. LSU lefty Greg Dirks falls to 3-1after allowing four runs, three earned, in 5.2 innings.
The Blazers struck first with a run in the top of the first inning. Dan Stucky drew a one-out walk, moved down to second on a failed pick off attempt, then came around to score when Zac Ward doubled into the right-center field gap.
A two-out, two-run double down the left field line by LSU's Blake Gill in the bottom of the third gave the Tigers a 2-1 lead. Clay Harris then lined the next pitch from Mills into left field, scoring Gill with the third run of the inning.
UAB loaded the bases with one out in the top of the fifth inning thanks to two walks and an LSU error. Stucky then stepped to the plate and grounded a single through the right side of the infield, scoring Phillip Bell and Ryan Metcalf to tie the score at three.
The Blazers jumped out to a 4-3 lead in the top of the sixth when Helms led off the inning by blasting a home run into the left field bleachers. Helms got ahead in the count 2-0 and hit a Greg Smith fastball into the stands to tie him with Seth Rollin for the team lead in home runs with three.
The Blazers return to action on Tuesday when they host Troy at 6 p.m. at Young Memorial Field.
