Baseball Drops Game Two Of Conference USA Series At UAB, 11-3

Baseball Drops Game Two Of Conference USA Series At UAB, 11-3

Blazers score nine in the eighth to even series at one game each; teams to play rubber match Sunday at 1 p.m.

April 17, 2004

Final Stats

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Blazer second baseman Seth Rollin hit a two-RBI double to start a nine-run eighth inning, and starter Jeff Brown struck out five in a complete-game effort, as the Tulane University baseball team dropped an 11-3 Conference USA contest to host UAB Saturday afternoon at Jerry D. Young Memorial Stadium.

The Green Wave held a 3-2 lead going into the bottom of the eighth, but sophomore reliever Tyler Kimmons plunked designated hitter Nathan McCorkle to open the frame, and right fielder Cole Helms reached on a bunt single. After a successful sacrifice bunt by catcher Eugene Rodriguez, Rollin turned an offering from Kimmons and sent a two-RBI double to left field to give the home team a 4-3 lead.

From there, Tulane went to the bullpen and brought in Joey Charron, but the senior southpaw was unable to pitch the Green Wave out of the jam as he hit a batter, walked the bases loaded and issued another free pass to drive in a run and give UAB a 5-3 lead. From there, the wheels fell off as left fielder Levi Patmon roped a two-run double to left central and first baseman Daniel Hill lifted a three-run homer to right to give the home team a 10-3 advantage.

Rodriguez closed out the big inning with a single to right off sophomore reliever Ryan Martin. Tulane did not back down in the top of the ninth as junior second baseman Joe Holland and junior left fielder Matt Barket hit back-to-back, two-out singles, but Brown got junior catcher Greg Dini to strike out swinging to end the game.

With the win, UAB snapped a 10-game losing streak to improve to 15-19 on the year and 3-10 in C-USA action. Tulane, meanwhile, fell to 26-11 overall and 10-4 in league action.

Brown gave up three earned runs on nine hits while walking a pair to improve to 3-3 on the year. Tulane starter J.R. Crowel drew a no decision after giving up a pair of runs on six hits while striking out five and walking three in a solid six innings of work. Kimmons was tagged with the loss after giving up three runs on two hits in 1.1 innings of relief.

Tulane got off to a good start, taking advantage some wildness by Brown as sophomore centerfielder Nathan Southard walked, Holland was hit by a pitch and Dini drew a base on balls to load the bases with one out in the top of the first. Senior catcher Brian Bormaster then lifted a sacrifice fly to center to give the Green Wave a 1-0 lead and junior designated hitter Wes Swackhamer followed with a single up the middle to make it 2-0.

Following a pair of scoreless innings by Crowel, Hill tied the score with a two-out, two-run homer to left to make it a 2-2 ballgame. The score would remain that way until the top of the fifth when Barket doubled, advanced to third on a groundout and scored on an RBI-single by Bormaster as the Green Wave reclaimed the lead 3-2.

Tulane and UAB will play the rubber match of the series on Sunday with first pitch slated for 1 p.m. Following Sunday's series-deciding contest, the Green Wave return to action on Wednesday, April 21 when they play host to Louisiana-Lafayette at 6:30 p.m. at Zephyr Field.