The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Kennesaw State
Blazers Fall In Close Contest To Kennesaw State, 6-3
3/7/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
KENNESAW, Ga. - The UAB baseball team posted 11 hits offensively, but fell to the Kennesaw State Owls, 6-3, Saturday afternoon at Stillwell Stadium.
Two 2-run doubles - one in the second and one in the seventh - accounted for four of the Owls' runs as the Blazers (8-4) outhit the Owls (8-4) by five in game two of the series.
"We actually played very well today," head coach Brian Shoop said. "Eleven hits off good arms and all their runs but one came with two outs again. Two of them are 2-run doubles that are ground balls that sneak just inside the line and find the right spot. Esteban (Tresgallo) in the ninth hits a foul ball that's an inch foul, it's the same ball, a ground ball where two are inside the line and one is outside the line. I thought James (Naile) threw very well and 11 hits off good arms, we certainly had our chances. I actually thought we played and pitched a very good game today."
Naile threw seven innings with five earned runs allowed, two walks and four strikeouts. Freshman Gavin Niquette entered to pitch the final inning and struck out two.
Kennesaw State starter Travis Bergen tossed 6.2 innings, giving up one unearned run off seven hits with five strikeouts.
Chase Davis and Adam Smith both led the way for UAB with three hits, while Davis and Mims collected one RBI each.
With two runners on in the second, it was Taylor Allum's double that stayed just inside the line at first base, sending home both runners to give the Owls a 2-0 lead early in the contest.
UAB had its best chance offensively in the fifth after three-straight singles - two of them bunts - before a Kennesaw State error plated UAB's only run of the inning. With the bases loaded, Evan Peterson chopped a ball back to the pitcher as he threw home for the force out, before the Owls' catcher attempted a double play at first. His throw sailed over the head of the first baseman, sending home Matt Morse to make it a 2-1 game after five.
The Owls went on to post another run in the sixth, and three more in the seventh off another 2-run double and an RBI single, making it a 6-1 game through seven.
The Blazers added a single run in the eighth after Esteban Tresgallo reached on an error, and Mims sent him home on a single down the left field line.
UAB didn't go down without a fight, giving reliever AJ Moore all he could handle to send the tying run to the plate with two outs in the ninth. Smith got it started off a double to right-center and Davis drove him home on a single to right when he was caught trying to stretch into a double. Peterson followed with a hard single back up the middle and Griffin Gum walked to setup two on for Tresgallo, before he grounded out to second to end it.
The series closes on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET/12 p.m. CT from Stillwell Stadium.
For more information on the UAB baseball team, follow the Blazers on Twitter (@UAB_Baseball). For more on all Blazer sports teams follow the official Twitter account of UAB Athletics (@UABAthletics).
