March 24, 2007
Box Score
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Kennesaw State scored five runs in the top of the first inning and Cacey Rogers pitched four solid innings of relief as the Owls defeated Jacksonville, 6-4, at Alexander Brest Field in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday.
The Owls (15-9, 1-1 A-Sun) wasted no time getting to Dolphins starter Carson Andrew as they showed him the exit before he could finish the first inning. The KSU offense got to Andrew for five hits and five runs in two-thirds of an inning.
Andrew (2-2) was able to retire the first two batters of the game in the Owls top two hitters, Jacob Robbins (0-for-5) and Martin Baker (0-for-5). However, the Kennesaw State offense exploded when Jay Morrow (3-for-4) singled and Jace Whitmer (2-for-3) doubled to left field to give KSU a 1-0 lead.
After Matt Dallas (0-for-3) walked, Clint Roques (1-for-4) singled to right center field, giving the Owls a 2-0 advantage. Jerome Wooley (1-for-4) followed with an infield hit scoring Dallas. Andrew Martin (1-for-4) capped off the inning with a two-run double down the right field line for a five-run KSU lead.
Jacksonville (17-14, 2-3 A-Sun) answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning off Micah Sales. The Owls sophomore allowed four hits in the inning including a single to Kevin Ferreira (2-for-5) to lead off the game and a double to the next batter, Chuck Opachich (3-for-4), which gave JU its first run of the day.
Sales was able to settle down and pitch out of the first inning jam by striking out Donnie Vickers (1-for-4) to end the inning. Sales pitched out jams in the first and second innings and retired six batters in a row being leaving the game in the bottom of the fourth inning.
The Owls added a run in the top of the second inning when the combination of Morrow and Whitmer came through again. Morrow singled up the middle with two outs and Whitmer followed with his second double of the game, a shot down the left field line giving the Owls a 6-2 lead.
The Kennesaw State bullpen would hold off Jacksonville the rest of the game, allowing two runs on five hits with eight strikeouts over the final five and one-third innings.
Rogers pitched four strong innings before giving way to Justin Freeman with one out in the ninth inning. After Opachich doubled down the left field, Rogers struck out Pete Clifford (0-for-3) before Freeman entered the game.
The Owls closer got Mike McCallister (0-for-4) to ground out. After a walk, Freeman struck out pinch-hitter Dan Maier looking to earn his sixth save of the year.
