Even a four-run eighth inning by the Cougars was not enough for them to defeat No. 8 Alabama-Birmingham in the Conference USA Baseball Championship tournament.
UAB (26-32) had a 4-0 lead over Houston (35-22) going into the eighth inning. Houston tied the game in the top of that inning, but the Cougars’ hopes for a comeback were destroyed in the bottom of the ninth when UAB senior first baseman Ryan Keedy slammed a homer to left center to give the Blazers a 5-4 victory.
Houston’s first run came when senior outfielder Jake Stewart drew a walk with the bases loaded to score sophomore pinch-hitter Chris Wallace and put the score at 4-1.
Senior infielder Bryan Pounds singled to score freshman outfielder Caleb Ramsey and keep the bases loaded for junior infielder Jimmy Cesario, who singled in the next at-bat to score both Stewart and freshman infielder Blake Kelso to tie the game.
The Blazers were the first to put points on the board with sophomore shortstop Jonathan Merritt and freshman second baseman Nick Crawford both scoring in the first.
In the bottom of the second, Crawford hit a single to bring home Merritt, who reached base on a triple, and junior outfielder Brint Hardy added another run in the fifth to put the Blazers up by four going into the eighth.
UH will face No. 5 East Carolina at 7:30 p.m. tonight in an elimination game at Greer Field in New Orleans. The Cougars must beat ECU tonight and then win two contests against UAB tomorrow for a chance to play in the championship game.
