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News Nuggets, 05.28.04
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NOTES FROM ECU AND BEYOND...

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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

Mazey looks to well of pitchers to dig out of hole

Three one-run battles highlighted the second day of the Conference USA Tournament in Houston and No. 1 seed East Carolina came out on the bottom end of one of them.

Houston's Rob Johnson delivered a game-winning single in the bottom of the ninth inning that scored Kevin Roberts from second base and gave the Cougars a come-from-behind 6-5 victory over the nationally 4th-ranked Pirates in the day's final game.

The good news for ECU coach Randy Mazey was that he was spared the pain of watching the finish after getting tossed in the eight inning for arguing a pitch that could have resulted in a strikeout of a Houston batter and the preservation of the Pirates' two-run lead.

Despite the unfavorable outcome, Mazey still harbors serious thoughts of his mound staff leading a charge that will add the tournament crown to the Pirates' regular season title.

""I just told the guys, this is where our pitching depth really shines," Mazey said after the game. "We have a lot of guys that haven't pitched yet. Pitching depth is one of our strengths.

"Once the thing is over, and you win it, you don't really care how you did it. This team has a lot of character and a lot of class. I don't have any reasons to think that we won't come out and play our tails off."

The upset by Houston, which lost three regular season games to ECU, was a fitting conclusion to a day that included another dramatic finish with an unlikely climax.

UAB defeated Memphis 7-6 as Josh Miljavac scored when Memphis hurler Bill Edwards uncorked a wild pitch. The game-ending play capped off a three-run rally by the Blazers in the bottom of the ninth.

Houston and UAB, the tourney's only unbeaten teams, earned Friday byes with the wins and will advance to Saturday's next-to-last-day round against opponents to be determined by Friday's action.

In Thursday's first game — an unanticipated elimination match-up between Top 25 teams — Southern Miss defeated Tulane, 16-4. The Golden Eagles advance to a 4 p.m. Friday game against Memphis, while the Green Wave are out of the tournament.

In the day's second game, Austin Adams hit two home runs, including the game-winner in the seventh inning, to lift Texas Christian a 4-3 victory over Louisville, eliminating the Cardinals.

With the win, the Horned Frogs earned the unenviable task of facing an irate East Carolina team at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Tune in to the Pirate Radio 1250 live Internet feed.
View the C-USA Tournament schedule & scoreboard page.

Alcohol charges strike out Texas pitchers

ARLINGTON, TX — Two Texas baseball players have been charged with public intoxication while in town for the Big 12 tournament.

Pitchers Justin Simmons and J. Brent Cox were arrested early Tuesday at a shopping center, Arlington police spokeswoman Christy Gilfour said. Each was released after posting $211 bond.

They were suspended from the team Thursday for the rest of the Big 12 tournament.

The suspensions were announced before the Longhorns, the No. 1 team in the major polls, beat Texas A&M 13-6 in an elimination game. The school said only that the pitchers were suspended for "violation of team rules."

Coach Augie Garrido said after the game that the players were sent home. The pitchers' status for the NCAA tournament won't be determined until the team returns to Austin after the Big 12 tournament.

"Where it will end, we don't know because we don't have all of the information," Garrido said, not elaborating.

Simmons (9-3, 4.24 ERA), a left-handed starter, and Cox (five saves, 1.62 ERA), a right-handed reliever, were in uniform for the tournament opener Wednesday night. Neither pitched in the 5-2 loss to Nebraska.

Before the Wednesday game, Simmons accepted the Big 12 regular season championship trophy on behalf of the team. He declined to comment on the charges.

NCAA's No. 1 hurler finally loses

CORAL GABLES, FL — Jered Weaver lost for the first time this season, allowing seven runs Thursday night in Long Beach State's 8-5 loss to Miami.

Weaver (14-1), who entered leading the NCAA in wins and ERA (1.25), gave up eight hits in 6 1-3 innings, striking out 11. He is the younger brother of Los Angeles pitcher Jeff Weaver.

A junior, Weaver is among the five finalists for the Golden Spikes award, given to the nation's top amateur player.

Weaver's only previous loss was to Stanford in last year's NCAA tournament.

Erick San Pedro, Adam Ricks and Jim Burt hit solo homers off Weaver for a 3-1 Hurricanes lead.

News Nuggets are compiled periodically from staff, ECU, Conference USA and its member schools, and from Associated Press and other reports. Copyright 2004 Bonesville.net and other publishers. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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