April 28, 2007
Box Score
MACON, Ga. - The Owls fell behind, 7-2, after two innings and couldn't recover as the Mercer Bears beat Kennesaw State, 13-7, to sweep the three-game weekend series at Claude Smith Field.
Mercer (28-20, 13-8 A-Sun) ran through five Kennesaw State pitchers as the Owls staff served up 20 hits in the game. Starter Dan Dale lasted just one and two-third innings before leaving after allowing five runs and seven hits.
Although the Owls (24-21, 6-12 A-Sun) scored runs in each of the first six innings, they were not able to come within two runs of the Bears after the second inning. Kennesaw State jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Jacob Robbins doubled and Martin Baker followed with a single.
The lead was short for Kennesaw State as Mercer scored three times in the bottom of the first. The Owls did have an answer in the second as Robbins struck again, doubling home Matt Hopkins to bring the black and gold to within a run.
That was as close as Kennesaw State would get. With two outs in the second inning, Mercer scored four runs. Matt Crawford doubled to left field and scored on a Billy Shaughnessy single, chasing Dale in favor of Bubba Blalock.
After a steal of second by Shaughnessy, Josh Thompson walked and Mike Armstrong reached on an infield hit to load the bases. Eric Renfroe's base hit scored a pair of runs and two more scored on an error by Robbins.
Kennesaw State would cut the gap to two runs on an Andrew Martin sacrifice fly in the fifth inning, but Mercer answered back scoring in five of the six innings in which the Owls scored, before putting it out reach with a three-run seventh inning.
Crawford and Shaughnessy each had four hits for Mercer while Armstrong and Renfroe had three hits to lead the 20-hit attack. Robbins and Hopkins had three hits each to lead Kennesaw State, who had 12 hits in the game. Martin Baker and Matt Dallas had two hits for the Owls.
Blalock pitched an inning for the Owls, allowing a pair of earned runs on four hits. Chad Jenkins allowed a run in his inning and two-thirds, allowing a pair of hits and three walks. Kyle Muschara allowed three earned runs and four hits in 1.2 innings of work before Kody Paul finished with two inning of work, giving up a run on three hits.
Mercer used five pitchers as well. Kennesaw State ran through Justin Boyette and David Harden for five runs on 10 hits in four innings. However, the trio of J.C. Daugherty, Josh Lowey and Scott Patterson held the Owls to a pair of runs and five hits over the final five innings.
