April 15, 2008

Box Score

KENNESAW, Ga. - The UAB Blazers gave up three runs in the bottom of the eighth to allow the Kennesaw State Owls to come back to earn a 3-2 victory at Stillwell Stadium Tuesday night. UAB falls to 14-21 with the loss, while Kennesaw State is now 20-17.

Michael Bohana (2-2) got the win on the mound for the Owls after throwing two innings in relief in which he gave up one run on four hits. Ryan Rodebaugh finished with 10 strikeouts in earning a no-decision in his second start of the season for KSU.

Kyle Roberson (4-3) was sharp for seven innings before the Owls got to him in the eighth. Roberson finished his day with 7.1 innings pitched and two earned runs allowed, while striking out five and issuing just one walk.

Right fielder Brint Hardy was 2-for-4 with a run scored to lead UAB, while left fielder Phil Bell was 1-for-2 with a double and an RBI.

Center fielder Jacob Robbins finished with two hits for KSU, while left fielder Martin Baker was 1-for-4 with two RBI.

UAB struck first in the ball game in the third inning as catcher Allen Aubin walked to lead off the inning and later scored on a sacrifice fly to right field by shortstop Jonathan Merritt to take a 1-0 lead.

With two outs in the top of the eighth, Hardy knocked his second single of the game into right field and then stole second to himself in scoring position with Bell at the plate. Bell then took a 1-1 offering from Bohana deep to the right-center field wall for an RBI-double to extend UAB's lead to 2-0.

In the bottom half of the eighth, Kennesaw State got on the board when third baseman Tyler Stubblefield grounded a single through the left side to score second baseman Bucky Smith and close the gap to 2-1.

Still in the eighth, an error on UAB second baseman Ben Drust, who was trying to start a 4-6-3 double play, loaded the bases for the Owls and then Baker lined a single to right field to score two runs and give Kennesaw State a 3-2 edge.

Robert Brewster came on in relief of Roberson and was able to get back-to-back pop ups to get out of the bases loaded eighth inning jam.

UAB got back-to-back singles from center fielder Austin Taylor and Aubin to start the ninth before the Owls got out of the inning without allowing the tying run.

The Blazers and the Owls will play the final game of their midweek series in Birmingham on Wednesday at Young Memorial Field at 4:00 p.m.