April 23, 2007
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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Kennesaw State withstood a fierce, ninth-inning rally by Alabama-Birmingham as the Owls defeated the Blazers, 6-4, in a game that appeared to be headed towards another unbelievable ninth-inning rally against KSU.
Recently, leading by three runs and heading into the bottom of the ninth inning is something that the Owls have not enjoyed. Twice in the last two weeks, Kennesaw State has seen three-run, ninth-inning leads vanish.
On Monday, it looked like Kennesaw State's (23-18) late inning streak of bad luck would continue. Leading UAB, 6-3, with three outs to go and reliever Justin Edwards pitching well, the gloomy ghost of baseball past seemed like it was going to revisit the Owls.
An error by shortstop Jacob Robbins on a routine grounder started the inning. A passed ball and a single up the middle by Jonathan Merritt made the score, 6-4.
However, unlike past games the Owls corrected quickly and Edwards, who was pursuing his first save, got Allen Aubin to fly to center field. Steven Turner grounded out to Robbins at shortstop for the second out before things got sticky again for the Owls.
Edwards walked pinch hitter Ben Shelley to put the tying run on base. Slipping on his delivery, Edwards uncorked a wild pitch that flew behind the legs of UAB's Phil Bell, putting runners on second and third and bringing head coach Mike Sansing out of the dugout.
After a quick, and apparently effective, meeting with the Owls coach, Edwards came in tight with a fastball that Bell popped up to shallow left field where Robbins drifted back to his right, snaring the flare and giving the Owls the win.
The Blazers (18-24) jumped ahead of Kennesaw State with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third inning. KSU starter, Kyle Clayton, walked Allen Aubin, a .183 hitter, to lead off the inning and UAB made the Owls pay. Levi Patmon followed with a double into the left field corner to put runners on second and third.
Bell drove in the first run of the game when he cued a dribbler down the first base, which Andrew Martin fielded, but had no play at first base. Martin was involved in the next UAB run when a groundout to first base by Ryan Keedy scored Patmon for a 2-0 UAB lead.
The bottom of the Kennesaw State order rallied the offense in the fifth inning when Martin led off with a double off the top of the fence in right field. Matt Hopkins then lined s single up the middle and Robbins walked to load the bases.
Martin Baker then hit a grounder that took a wild hop over UAB shortstop Jonathan Merritt. Martin and Hopkins both scored tying the game. After a sacrifice by Morrow, Jace Whitmer ripped a two-run single up the middle to put the Owls up by a pair.
In the bottom of the fifth, after walking the leadoff batter for the third straight inning, Clayton was removed for right-hander Kyle Muschara. After a sacrifice, Patmon cracked his second double of the game, a gapper to left center field scoring Aubin to cut the Owls lead to 4-3.
Kennesaw State added an insurance run in the top of the eighth inning when Martin lined an RBI-single to left field scoring Whitmer from second base. The Owls also added a run in the ninth inning when Baker single-handedly produced the Owls final run when he walked, stole second and third base before coming home on a wild pitch.
Muschara (4-0) picked up his fourth win of the season in four decisions. The right-hander pitched three innings of scoreless relief, allowing four hits without a walk. Edwards pitched two innings to earn his first save.
The Owls will be back in action on Tuesday evening when they host Alabama State at Stillwell Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.
