The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
#19 Houston
Blazers Hang On To Beat No. 19 Houston, 10-9
4/18/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 18, 2008
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The UAB baseball team held a five-run lead entering the ninth inning Friday night before the 19th-ranked Houston Cougars scored four runs to cut the deficit to one before Billy Lichtner came on and earned his first career save to give UAB a 10-9 victory at Young Memorial Field. Houston hit six home runs in the game, but the Blazers scored 10 runs in their last four at bats to out-slug the Cougars.
UAB improves to 16-21 (2-8 C-USA) with the win, while Houston is now 24-13 (7-3 C-USA).
"This program has lost so many late leads and it's a barrier to overcome, so as apposed to looking at it like it's a bad thing we gave up four in the ninth, I think it's a great thing we gave up four in the ninth and not five," said UAB head coach Brian Shoop following his team's second straight win. "We hung in there and the guys were pouring a lot of positive energy out of the dugout for their guy on the mound and guys in the field."
UAB was led offensively by third baseman Luke Stewart who was 3-for-5 with four RBI, including a two-run home run in the sixth. Center fielder Cody McMurry was 2-for-5 with two RBI which came on a vital two-run single in the bottom of the eighth.
Designated hitter Austin Taylor finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI.
Houston was led by left fielder Jake Stewart who tied a school record with three home runs to highlight his 4-for-4 performance. Stewart was the only Cougar to record multiple hits in the game.
In a game that got interesting late, both starters were the pitchers of record. James Oliver (3-2) got the win for UAB after dealing 7.0 innings in which he allowed five runs on eight hits. Wes Musick (7-2) got the loss for Houston after giving up seven runs in six innings.
The Cougars took a 1-0 lead in the second and then opened up a 3-0 lead in the fourth after back-to-back home runs by second baseman Ryan Larmand and first baseman Matt Murphy. Another solo home run in the fifth, this time by Stewart, extended the Cougars lead to 4-0.
The Blazers got their offense going in the fifth as a leadoff double by catcher Allen Aubin put him in position to score on an RBI single up the middle by Taylor. Taylor later came in to score on a double play ground ball by second baseman Nick Crawford.
UAB then tied the game, 4-4, in the bottom of the sixth when Stewart hit his two-run home run to right field to record his fourth long ball of the season. McMurry scored on the blast after singling to get on base.
Houston was quick to regain the lead, however as Oliver's 104th pitch of the day and first of the seventh inning was taken deep to straightaway center field by Stewart for a solo shot to give the Cougars a 5-4 edge.
UAB then surged ahead, 8-5, in the seventh as Taylor and shortstop Jonathan Merritt singled to begin the inning and then Crawford drew a four-pitch walk to load the bases. Left fielder Phil Bell then drove in the first run of the inning on a ground ball to Houston shortstop Blake Kelso who turned to second to start a double play but couldn't come up with the ball and was charged with an error which scored a run and left the bases loaded.
With the bases loaded and still no outs, first baseman Ryan Keedy hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Merritt and give UAB its first lead of the day, 6-5.
The final two runs of the seventh came home on a single to center field by Stewart to open up the 8-5 Blazer lead.
UAB added two more runs in the eighth on a two-run single to center field by McMurry to take a 10-5 lead.
McMurry's two-run base knock in the ninth would prove to be vital as Houston came back to score four runs in the top of the ninth to cut the Blazer lead to 10-9 thanks to a three-run home run by Stewart.
Clinging to a one-run lead with just one out in the ninth, Lichtner came on and closed things out as he got a fly out and a ground out to end the game and earn his first save of the season.
The Blazers and Cougars will get together for game two of the three-game series at Young Memorial Field on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. That game can be heard live on 690 AM WSPZ in Birmingham.
