[1] At Southern California, Lane earned All-America honors during his senior season (1999), including pitching 2+2⁄3 innings in the 1998 College World Series championship game to pick up the win and help USC to its 12th NCAA baseball championship, topping Arizona State University 21–14.

Lane served as the designated hitter (DH) in the game, going 3-for-6 with a ninth inning grand slam, setting a CWS record with 11 hits overall, and led the tournament with a .417 batting average.

[3] Lane hit the last home run and made the last out at Busch Memorial Stadium on October 19, 2005 as the Astros clinched their first league pennant.

On July 12, 2006, Lane was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock after Houston acquired utility slugger Aubrey Huff.

With Rookie of the Year candidate Hunter Pence's spectacular play earning him the starting job in center field, Lane became expendable and was demoted to Round Rock.

On July 23, with Pence out with a fractured wrist and Lance Berkman struggling with a hand injury, Lane was called back up to the big league club.

On January 10, 2008, Lane agreed to a minor league contract with the New York Yankees and was invited to spring training.

Lane signed a minor league contract with the Toronto Blue Jays in December and was invited to spring training.

Lane signed a contract with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs of the independent Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.

On December 9, 2011, Lane signed a minor league contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks, now playing as a pitcher.

In June 2012, Lane signed a contract with the Sugar Land Skeeters of the Atlantic League in their inaugural season.

In his first year as a full-time pitcher since college, Lane was the ace of the pitching staff and an anchor in the middle of the batting order.