The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
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Alabama
Kloskowski Throws Complete Game To Beat Alabama
4/2/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 2, 2008
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Right-hander Mitch Kloskowski threw a complete game, striking out five and walking just one, to lead UAB to an 8-5 victory over Alabama at Regions Park Wednesday night. UAB improves to 10-16 with the win, while Alabama is now 16-13.
The win snaps a six-game losing streak against the Crimson Tide for the Blazers dating back to the 2005 season.
"I'm happy for the guys because they've been playing hard and been in every game for a good while now so it's nice to come out on top," said UAB head coach Brian Shoop. "Mitch is a strike thrower and usually doesn't beat himself and when you don't, you are usually in the ball game."
The Blazers turned three double plays to back up Kloskowski, who improves to 3-3 with the win.
Crimson Tide starter Casey Kebodeaux (2-3) got the loss for Alabama after going 4.0 innings in which he gave up four runs on seven hits, while striking out four.
Designated hitter Austin Taylor went 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored to lead UAB at the plate.
Shortstop Jonathan Merritt, second baseman Nick Crawford, center fielder Cody McMurry and catcher Allen Aubin all finished the game 2-for-4 to contribute offensively.
UAB had a total of 13 hits in the game and left fielder Phil Bell finished with one to extend his current hit streak to 17 games. As Bell extended his career-best streak, first baseman Ryan Keedy saw his impressive run of 19 straight games with a hit come to an end after going 0-for-3 with two walks Wednesday.
Designated hitter Alex Avila led Alabama offensively as he was 2-for-4 with two RBI.
Tuesday's hero, Alabama center fielder Alex Kubal, scored the first run of the game in the top of the first on a sacrifice fly to center field by second baseman Brandon May.
UAB evened things up, 1-1, in the bottom half of the first when McMurry hit a single up the middle to score Crawford.
The Crimson Tide got one run home on a double play ball to take a 2-1 lead in the second and then UAB capitalized on two Alabama errors to take a 3-2 advantage on its turn around in the inning.
In the fifth, UAB extended its lead to 4-2 after McMurry doubled down the left field line to lead off the inning and then scored on a sacrifice bunt by right fielder Brint Hardy.
The Blazers went on to take a 5-2 lead in the sixth and in the seventh, UAB plated three more runs thanks to RBI singles by Taylor, Aubin and Merritt to pull away for an 8-2 lead.
Alabama responded by getting three runs back in the eighth thanks to three consecutive Tide singles which loaded the bases for Avila who hit a two-run double to right field for the biggest hit of the inning.
Kloskowski was able to close out his fourth career complete game in the ninth thanks to his infield completing its third double play of the game.
The Blazers will remain at home this weekend when they host Presbyterian for a three-game series at Young Memorial Field that gets underway Friday at 7:00 p.m.
