March 7, 2007
Box Score
ATHENS, Ga. - All it took for the Owls to beat Georgia for the first-time ever was dominant pitching, a few unearned runs, a thirty-minute power outage delay and a half-lit field. That perfect combination gave Kennesaw State a 3-2 win over the Bulldogs at Foley Field on Wednesday night.
Standing just three outs away from the Owls (8-6) biggest Division I win, and arguably biggest win in the program's history, Kyle Muschara got the first out of the ninth inning when he got Ryan Piesel (2-for-4) to sky to shallow right field. Cacey Rogers then came in and struck out the Bulldogs (4-8) leading hitter, Jonathan Wyatt (2-for-4) swinging.
Gordon Beckham (1-for-4) kept the Kennesaw State fans, which had been on their feet the entire inning, standing longer as he beat out a grounder to third base. Matt Olson (2-for-5) then fell behind two strikes before Rogers got him to ground weakly to Matt Hopkins at second base for the Owls win.
After five innings of scoreless baseball, the lights went out around Foley Field before play began in the top of the sixth inning. After a thirtysome-minute delay, the teams played the remaining four innings under dimmed lights.
Martin Baker (2-for-4) wasn't bothered by the darkened-diamond as he singled to lead off the sixth inning. Matt Dallas (1-for-4) wasn't disturbed either as he followed with a single up the middle. Jay Morrow (0-for-2), after a beautiful sacrifice bunt to third base, reached when Peisel's throw pulled Mike Freeman off first base to load the bases with nobody out.
Georgia's Nick Montgomery then struck out Adam Cross (1-for-4) for the first out, but hit freshman Jace Whitmer (0-for-3) on the arm to give the Owls a, 1-0, lead. Jerome Wooley (1-for-3) followed with a sacrifice fly to right field for a two-run Kennesaw State advantage.
Jacob Robbins (2-for-4) hit in his 28th straight game when he lined a singled off the shin of Georgia pitcher Alex McRae in the top of the seventh inning. Robbins would steal second, advance to third on a fly ball to right field and score on a throwing error by UGA second baseman Mike Freeman.
The Bulldogs rallied in the bottom of the seventh inning when they put runners on second and third with one out. Bubba Blalock, who relieved Kyle Clayton after a tremendous effort, got Beckham to ground to third to make the score 3-1.
Olson then grounded a single between first and second to cut the KSU lead to 3-2. An identical single by Joey Lewis (1-for-4) put the tying run in scoring position and chased Blalock, who was ineffective in his third straight outing.
Dan Dale then struck out Luke Stewart (2-for-4) looking to end the threat and keep the Owls ahead just as the lights came back on.
The Owls had a chance to add an insurance run in the top of the eighth when Georgia centerfielder Wyatt bobbled a single in center field, but recovered and threw a strike home where Lewis tagged out Cross.
In the bottom of the eighth inning a Dallas error put the tying runner on base, but pinch-runner Blake Cannady was thrown out stealing on a rifle throw by Whitmer.
Freshman Kody Paul, who was impressive in the biggest start of his brief collegiate career, lasted until the fifth inning when Piesel doubled to left center field with one-out.
The right-hander was replaced by fellow frosh, southpaw Kyle Clayton. The lefty-lefty match-up worked perfectly for KSU head coach Mike Sansing as Clayton struck out the Bulldogs leading hitter, Wyatt, looking. Then, after an intentional walk to Beckham, Clayton faced left-handed hitting Olson and struck him out as Whitmer held onto a foul tip to end the inning.
Kennesaw State nearly took the lead in the top of the fifth inning, but Olson threw out Tyler Stubblefield at the plate from left field for an inning-ending double play to keep the game scoreless.
Georgia starter Joshua Fields got into trouble in the top of the first inning as he walked two of the first three batters he faced. Fields, who was averaging over a walk an inning in his first four appearances, got Morrow on a topper back the mound as Jacob Robbins and Dallas moved to second and third. He then struck out Cross on a slider to end the rally.
Paul got out of a jam himself in the bottom of the first when he walked Wyatt. The freshman then balked immediately after Wyatt stole second, but got the slumping Beckham to line out to left to end the inning.
Olson got the first hit of the game when he lined a single to center field to lead off the second inning for Georgia. With one out, Stewart singled to right field to put runners on the corners, but Paul recovered and got Matt Robbins (1-for-4), cousin of the Owls shortstop Jacob, to line to second and then ended the inning when he got Mike Freeman (0-for-4) to ground out to Stubblefield.
Kennesaw State got their first hit of the game in the top of the third inning when Baker reached on an infield hit off Steve Esmonde.
The Bulldogs rallied again in the third inning when Peisel and Wyatt got back-to-back singles with one out. A successful double-steal had the pair in scoring position, but Paul showed composure once again, striking out Beckham and getting Olson to foul out to end the second Georgia threat in three innings.
The Owls will be back home at Stillwell Stadium as they open up a three-game weekend set against Charleston Southern. Kennesaw State will play seven of its next eight games at home. After a one-game trip to Jacksonville State, the Owls host Georgia Tech on March 14 before playing Alabama-Birmingham in a weekend set on March 16-18.
