The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
at Southern Mississippi*
Blazer Rally Falls Short at Southern Miss, 4-3
5/6/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 6, 2005
HATTIESBURG, Miss.-- Southern Miss scored four runs in the bottom of the first and held off UAB for the final eight innings, taking game one of the series on Friday night, 4-3, at Pete Taylor Park. Blazer pitching held the Golden Eagles scoreless for eight innings but the UAB offense stranded the tying and go-ahead runs on base in the top of the ninth thanks to a pair of unbelievable defensive plays by the Southern Miss middle infield. The Golden Eagles are now 33-14, 14-8 in Conference USA while the Blazers fall to 28-18, 12-10 in league play.
Southern Miss starting pitcher Brad Owen picked up the victory and improves to 3-0 on the season while Cole Helms (3-2) suffered the defeat for UAB.
Helms led off the top of the ninth by ripping a double which rolled all the way to the wall in left field. After Phillip Bell came in to pinch run for Helms at second, Seth Rollin reached on an infield single which Golden Eagle second baseman Trey Sutton made a diving stop on to keep the ball in the infield and Bell at third base. After Best struck out J.R. Bond looking, Knight ripped a one-hopper which looked destined for left field. But Southern Miss shortstop Chris Matesich made a fully extended diving stop in short left field and threw to second from his knees to force Rollin. Sutton then relayed to first, just in time to get Knight, completing the double play and ending the game as the Southern Miss crowd went wild.
Southern Miss touched up UAB starter Cole Helms for four runs in the bottom of the first inning. Sutton drew a leadoff walk and Marc Maddox reached on a single through the left side of the infield with one out. On the single, Sutton moved to third and Maddox took second when Dan Stucky's throw got away from UAB third baseman Zac Ward. Brad Willcutt then stepped up and grounded a two-run single past Ward at third base. With Willcutt on first, Jason Lowery then laced an RBI double to the left-center field wall, giving the Golden Eagles a three-run cushion. An RBI single by Jody Blount with two outs scored David Steele and capped off the Southern Miss scoring in the first.
The Blazers got on the board when Bond led off the top of the third with a solo home run down the left field line. The homer came on a 3-2 pitch and was Bond's third of the season.
UAB scored two more times in the top of the fourth inning. With one out, Nathan McCorkle and Helms reached on back-to-back singles. Rollin then hit a line drive over the head of Southern Miss centerfielder Lowery which brought McCorkle around to score from first. Bond then notched his second RBI in as many innings when he flew out deep to center field, scoring Helms to make the score 4-3.
Southern Miss was threatening with runners on second and third with just one out in the bottom of the sixth. Metesich then lifted a fly ball into right field which looked to be deep enough to score Steele from third, but Bond caught the ball then threw a strike on the fly to Knight who blocked the plate and held onto the ball after a collision with Steele, retiring the side and ending the Golden Eagle scoring threat.
The Blazers and Golden Eagles continue their series with game two on Saturday at 4 p.m. at Pete Taylor Park.
