April 18, 2007
Box Score
TROY, Ala.- Troy scored the final six runs of the game to break a 5-5 tie as the Trojans upended Kennesaw State, 11-5, in a non-conference meeting at Riddle-Pace Field on Tuesday evening.
Troy (21-16), who was shutout by Kennesaw State over 12 innings earlier this month, got to the Owls early with three first inning runs. Ian Craze led off with a single against KSU starter Ben Sosebee and Edgar Ramirez promptly reached on an error.
Sosebee walked both Josh Dew and Clint Robinson to give Troy a 1-0 lead. Trevor Tyre made the score, 2-0, with a sacrifice fly and Bryan Miller singled to right field, giving Troy a 3-0 lead. The Owls starter would last just two-thirds of an inning, leaving after allowing three unearned runs.
Kennesaw State (21-16) fought back in the top of the second inning, taking the lead with a four-run frame. Matt Dallas drew a walk and scored when Owls second baseman Matt Hopkins smacked his first collegiate home run, a two-run blast that cut the Troy lead to one-run.
Jacob Robbins then reached on a bunt single down the first base line and Martin Baker walked before Jay Morrow smacked a two-run double to left-center field for a 4-3 Owls lead.
The Owls couldn't hold the lead for long as Troy tied the game in the second inning. Craze singled and scored on an RBI ground-out by Dew. In the third, the Trojans took the lead hen Miller singled and scored on an RBI hit by Shohei Fujita.
Kennesaw State tied the game in the top of the sixth inning when Robbins and Baker were again the catalysts for the KSU offense. With one out, the Owls replayed their second inning rally when Robbins reached on a bunt single and Baker walked.
However, this time Morrow grounded out, but did move the runners over before Jace Whitmer became the momentary hero with a single to knot the game at five.
In the sixth inning, Chad Jenkins relieved Kyle Clayton and quickly got the first two outs of the inning. However, a single by Ramirez set up Kevin Weidlich who hit his seventh home run of the year, giving the Trojans a, 7-5, lead.
Justin Freeman came in the game in the eighth inning and allowed four earned runs. The Owls closer surrendered a pair of hits and walked three batters as he lasted just one-third of an inning.
Tim Wheeler (4-1) got the win in relief for Troy while Chad Jenkins (1-3) took the loss for Kennesaw State.
The Owls did have five stolen bases in the game with Baker swiping three bases to give him 14 on the season. Robbins stole his team-leading 18th base while Morrow also had a steal.
Kennesaw State will be back in action this weekend when they travel to play Gardner-Webb in a three-game A-Sun series in Boiling Springs, N.C.
