March 14, 2007
Box Score
KENNESAW, Ga. - What a week it has been for the Owls. Last week the black and gold took a 3-2 win from Georgia in Athens and on Wednesday night, before a sell-out crowd at Stillwell Stadium, Kennesaw State beat Georgia Tech, 6-4.
While Georgia Tech (9-9) wanted to jump out early on Kennesaw State, it was the Owls (12-7) who scored twice in the first inning. From that point forward the Owls went run- for-run with the Yellow Jackets and rode the arm of Cacey Rogers for the Owls third straight win.
Rogers (2-0) relieved Kody Paul with one out in the fifth inning and pitched the final four and two-thirds to earn his second win of the season. Rogers scattered just five hits without allowing an earned run.
The game wasn't without its share of drama. The ninth inning saw the Yellow Jackets rally when Danny Payne (2-for-4) lined a two-strike pitch past second base for leadoff single.
The top of the order faced Rogers and reminiscent of opening day, the Owls would have to face Matt Wieters with the game on the line. Rogers got Michael Fisher (2-for-5) to knock back to the box and Rogers quickly tossed and threw to second to get Payne, but Fisher beat the throw to first on a bang-bang play at first base which Kennesaw State head coach Mike Sansing argued before the raucous support of the home town crowd.
With the memories Wieters game-winning home run surrounding, Rogers battled Tech's leading home run hitter to a full count before getting the All-American to line hard to right field. Rogers got the final out of the game when Wally Crancer (0-for-4) grounded to Andrew Martin at first where he tossed to Rogers covering to end the game.
For the second time this season against the Yellow Jackets, the Owls jumped ahead early. This time instead of a five-run first inning, Kennesaw State scored a pair of first frame runs. Jacob Robbins (1-for-4) extended his hitting streak to 33 games with a drag bunt down the first base line. Another bunt single and an error by Martin Baker (2-for-3) scored Robbins.
A sacrifice bunt by cleanup hitter, Jace Whitmer (1-for-1), put runners on second and third for Matt Dallas (1-for-3), whose sacrifice fly gave KSU a two-run lead.
The second inning saw Tech's Luke Murton (1-for-4) led off the second inning with a double. With one out a ground ball to third baseman Dallas was snagged and thrown to first for the second out, Murton took off for third, but an alert throw across the diamond by Martin got Murton at third to end the inning.
Jace Whitmer gave the Owls a 3-0 lead in the bottom of third inning when he lined a single up the middle scoring Baker who reached with a one-out bunt single and stole second base.
Georgia Tech got its first run on the courtesy of a balk by Paul. An error by second baseman Tyler Stubblefield put runners on first and third with two outs. After a trip to the mound by pitching coach Kevin Erminio to settle down the freshman, Paul immediately balked home Crancer.
After a sacrifice fly by Martin scored Clint Roques (1-for-4) who doubled to lead off the inning, the Jackets scored a pair of runs in the top of the fifth to cut the KSU lead to 4-3.
Rogers relieved Paul with one out and had a rough start to his night as Fisher doubled scoring Tony Plagman (0-for-1) to make the score 4-2. With runners on second and third, Wieters was intentionally walked to load the bases. A force out cut the lead to 4-3 before Rogers got Murton to fly to center field to end the inning.
The Owls once again answered tech's rally with one of their own as they scored twice in their half of the fifth on a two-run single up the middle by Dallas. The senior would drive in three of Kennesaw State's six runs.
Robbins led off the inning with a walk and then moved to second when reliever Zach Von Tarsch balked. Baker, who reached twice on bunt singles, walked on five pitches. Jared Hyatt came in to pitch and Morrow put down a successful sacrifice bunt to move the runners up. Whitmer drew a walk after falling behind 1-2 to set up Dallas' two-run hit.
Kennesaw State will continue its homestand with a three-game series against Alabama-Birmingham. The Owls and Blazers kick off their set at Stillwell Stadium on Friday evening at 6:00 p.m.
