The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Hawai'i
Volk Deals, Blazers Lose Late At Hawaii
3/12/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 12, 2008
HONOLULU, Hawaii - The UAB baseball team lost an entertaining showdown against Hawaii at Les Murakami Stadium Tuesday night, 4-3. UAB first baseman Ryan Keedy doubled home a run to tie the game in the top of the ninth before the Rainbows scored the game-winning run with two outs in the bottom of the inning.
UAB drops to 6-8 on the campaign with the loss, while Hawaii improves to 6-9 and snaps a six-game losing streak.
Blazer right-hander Johnny Volk was impressive on the mound in his third start of the year. Volk pitched 6.1 innings and allowed just three hits and one run, while striking out six.
Right-hander Kyle Roberson (1-2) got the loss for UAB after allowing three runs in 2.1 innings of relief.
Hawaii closer Matt Daly (3-1) got the win after he pitched the ninth, allowing one run and striking out two.
Keedy finished the game 3-for-5 with two RBI, while left fielder Phil Bell was 2-for-4 with a double. Second baseman Nick Crawford was 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored.
Left fielder Sean Montplaisir led Hawaii's offensive production, going 1-for-4 with two RBI after driving in the game-winning run.
UAB got the scoring started in the top of the first when right fielder Brint Hardy reached by being hit by a pitch before later stealing third and then coming in to score on an RBI-single to short by designated hitter Austin Taylor.
After five scoreless innings, the Blazers came back and added one more run in the seventh to take a 2-0 when Hardy scored for the second time. Hardy singled to get on base and then came home on a single to right field by Keedy.
In the bottom of the eighth, the Rainbow offense came alive and scored three runs to take a 3-2 lead. UH third baseman Vinnie Catricala walked to lead off the inning and was then sacrificed up to second to end Volk's impressive day on the mound.
Roberson came on in relief of Volk and gave up a single through the middle to first baseman Kevin Macdonald that scored Catricala.
Macdonald went on to score the second Rainbow run of the inning on a double by catcher Kevin Fujii. Designated hitter Landon Hernandez scored the final run of the inning when Roberson hit Montplaisir on the helmet.
Trailing 3-2 in the top of the ninth, Crawford singled to lead off the inning and then moved up to second when shortstop Jonathan Merritt walked.
After a Blazer strikeout and fielder's choice ground out, UAB was down to its final out when Keedy dug in looking for his third hit of the day and he did not disappoint as he drove a 2-1 offering from Daly deep down the left field line for an RBI-double that tied the game, 3-3.
UAB was retired from there, leaving runners stranded at second and third.
In the bottom of the ninth, a hit batter and a walk put two runners on with two outs for Montplaiser who hit a ground ball to Merritt at short who dove to come up with the ball and then turned and looked for the force at second which allowed Fujii to come around to score the game-winning run.
The Blazers and the Rainbows will get together at Les Murakami Stadium again on Wednesday for the second and final game of the mid-week series at 6:30 p.m. HT.
