By Julien Benjamin, Staff Writer
After scoring four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to take a 5-3 lead, Kennesaw State allowed five runs in the top of the ninth and blew a shot at their first sweep of the season, losing 8-5 to the UAB Blazers at home Sunday.
Chris Erwin was in line for the save, but instead received his first loss of the season after giving up six hits and five earned runs. Erwin’s ERA ballooned from 0.84 to 4.76 as a result of the outing.
“They barreled some balls up there in the ninth,” KSU head coach Mike Sansing said. “We had the guy we wanted up there, but it just didn’t work out. When you go into the ninth with a two run lead, you feel pretty comfortable, it just didn’t happen today.”
The Owls (8-5) were hitless into the seventh inning when Erwin lead off the frame with a single to right field. He scored in the very next at-bat when designated hitter Brennan Morgan doubled off the center field wall. The next three KSU hitters were retired quietly, and the Owls trailed 2-1 as Gabe Friese, the starter, went back to the mound to start the eighth inning.
Friese quickly recorded the first two outs in the inning, but consecutive hits by third baseman Evan Peterson and right fielder Griffin Gum allowed UAB to tack on an insurance run. Friese’s day was done, but not before he threw 7 and 2/3 innings with five strikeouts. His 2.38 ERA leads the pitching staff this season.
KSU entered the bottom of the eighth trailing the Blazers 3-1, but quickly loaded the bases in their first three at-bats. Kal Simmons hit an infield hit to shortstop, driving in one, before Erwin doubled to the gap in left field to clear the bases. Erwin, who went 2-4 on Sunday, leads the Owls in batting average at .390, and hits, with 16 this season.
KSU took a 5-3 lead into the ninth inning, and Erwin was tasked with recording the save. Pinch hitter Esteban Tresgallo hit a two-run home run for UAB to tie the game at five. After recording the second out, Erwin allowed the next five batters he faced to reach base, resulting in an additional three runs for the Blazers, and an 8-5 deficit for the Owls.
UAB’s Corey Eller recorded his third save of the season in the ninth, retiring KSU’s batters in order.
Despite winning the series over the Blazers, Sansing was far from pleased with the weekend’s result. “You are always disappointed when you had an opportunity to take three games but weren’t able to close out,” he said.
KSU plays at Georgia State University this Wednesday, with first pitch set for 6 p.m.
