The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
#30 East Carolina
Pirates Escape Blazers Rally, Sweep Doubleheader, Series
5/3/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 3, 2008
GREENVILLE, N.C. - After losing game one of Saturday's doubleheader at Clark-LeClair Stadium, 17-1, UAB came back and gave 30th-ranked East Carolina all it could handle in game two, but the Pirates were able to hold on for an 8-7 victory.
East Carolina improves to 36-13 (11-7 C-USA) with the series sweep, while UAB falls to 19-27 (4-14 C-USA).
Justin Bristow (7-2) got the win on the mound in game one for ECU after throwing 6.1 innings in which he gave up one run on two hits and five walks. T.J Hose (5-4) was the winner in game two having dealt 5.2 innings and gave up just one run, while striking out six.
Mitch Kloskowski (5-5) lost game one after giving up nine runs in two innings. Kyle Roberson (4-6) lost game two having thrown 6.0 innings and given up six runs.
UAB shortstop Jonathan Merritt was 2-for-3 to lead UAB offensively in game one, while left fielder Austin Taylor was 1-for-3 with an RBI.
In game two, first baseman Ryan Keedy was 3-for-5 with a home run to lead the Blazers.
Catcher Corey Kemp had another impressive game against UAB in game one as he went 4-for-5 with five RBI and four runs scored. Center fielder Harrison Eldridge was 3-for-5 in game two and had a pair of home runs in the first game.
ECU shortstop Dustin Harrington and left fielder Trent Ashcraft also had impressive showings in game two as each finished with three hits.
East Carolina was able to open up a 6-1 lead in the seventh inning of game two before Keedy came around in the top of the eighth and towered a three-run home run to straight-away center field to cut the deficit to 6-4.
Later in the eighth, UAB third baseman Luke Stewart made it a one-run ECU lead as he hit a solo home run to center field to make it 6-5.
Down to their last at bat, the Blazers got a rally going in the ninth as Taylor singled and then scored on a single to right field by pinch hitter Billy Lichtner to make it 8-6. Later, with runners on the corners and still just one out, designated hitter Phil Bell came to the plate and grounded a single through the left side to score Merritt and close the gap to one run, 8-7.
East Carolina was able to escape the inning as Keedy and center fielder Cody McMurry grounded out to end the game and allow the Pirates to escape with the 8-7 victory.
In game one of the doubleheader, ECU picked up where it left off Friday night as Kemp crushed his second home run of the series for a two-run shot over the right field wall to give the Pirates an early 2-0 lead in the first inning.
In the second inning, ECU put the game away by scoring seven runs on seven hits to take a 9-0 lead. Second baseman Ryan Wood supplied his third home run of the series with a three-run shot in the inning, while right fielder Jamie Ray also went long in the inning.
The Pirates went on to add five more runs in the third backed by a two-run home run by Eldridge to make it 14-0.
Eldridge homered again in the sixth and then the Pirates added two additional runs in the inning to pull away 17-0 before UAB scored its run in the top of the seventh.
The Blazers will be back in action when they travel to play Jacksonville State at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
