April 12, 2008
Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
SPARTANBURG, S.C.--An 11-4 win in game one of a doubleheader for the Kennesaw State baseball team was impressive. But game two turned out to be outstanding as every position player scored and drove in at least one run as the Owls defeated USC Upstate, 32-3, to sweep an Atlantic Sun Conference doubleheader.
KSU (19-17, 11-7) set all-time school records in game two for most team at bats (60) and hits (35), while Jacob Robbins, Martin Baker and Tyler Stubblefield tied the school record for at bats in a game with eight. The Owls set Division I records for runs scored, runs batted in (31), doubles (eight) and total bases. Robbins and Baker each had six hits on the game for a D-I KSU record, with Robbins scoring a D-I school record five runs.
The second game of the twin bill began with the Owls sending nine men to the plate, scoring four. Baker's double down the line in left opened the scoring as Jacob Robbins scored for the first run of the game. Ric Bishop's single through the right side brought home in Baker to make it 2-0. After a Jay Morrow single and a sacrifice bunt, Andrew Martin singled home Bishop and Morrow to complete the scoring in the first.
A bigger inning awaited the Owls in the second as KSU scored seven times. With the bases loaded and no one out, Morrow doubled to right center to score Robbins and Baker. A single to left by Jace Whitmer brought in Bishop for the third run of the inning. Two batters later, Curtis Van Wyck singled to center to score Morrow.
After a walk and a strikeout, Robbins reached on an error to score Whitmer and extend the inning. Baker capped the scoring in the second with a single back up the middle, making the score 11-0.
Martin's sacrifice fly in the third brought in Morrow to give KSU a dozen runs. A sacrifice fly by Van Wyck one batter later brought in Whitmer for a baker's dozen.
In the fourth, the Owls scored seven runs in an inning for the second time in the game. Jerome Wooley's one-out double scored Stubblefield with the first run of the inning. Morrow's fourth hit of the game - a single to right center - scored Baker. Whitmer drove in his second run of the game with an RBI single to left.
After a walk loaded the bases, Van Wyck reached and everyone was safe on a fielder's choice. Smith singled through the left side for another Black and Gold tally. Stubblefield brought home the sixth run of the inning on a fielder's choice, with Robbins following with an RBI single for the seventh run of the inning. After four innings, KSU led 20-0.
Two more runs scored in the fifth. Josh Whitaker led of the inning with a pinch hit double, then scored on a pinch hit double by Drew Fowlkes. Fowlkes scored on a single to center by Van Wyck.
Upstate (18-19, 11-10) broke up the shutout in the bottom of the fifth with a run. In the sixth, Ross Tendler walked with the bases loaded, brining in Robbins for a 23-1 lead.
After the Spartans scored in the home half of the sixth, the lead stretched again in the seventh. With runners on second and third, a sacrifice fly by Baker brought home Smith. One batter later, Wooley singled to short. Robbins scored on the play for a 25-2 lead.
The Owls were kept off the scoreboard in the eighth, the only inning of the game they did not score. Upstate scored to cut the deficit to 22 in the bottom of the inning.
In the ninth, KSU broke the 30-run mark by scoring seven runs in an inning for the third time in the game. Robbins and Baker reached with hits, with Baker's being the sixth of the contest. Wooley reached on a throwing error with Robbins scoring on the play for an RBI. Whitaker's sacrifice fly brought home Baker for the second run of the inning.
Fowlkes was walked and Tendler was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Van Wyck singled to center to score Wooley. One batter later, Stubblefield sent a shot down the right field line for a grand slam, the only homer of the game for the Owls, to complete the scoring for KSU.
Justin Freeman (4-3) pitched five innings and recorded 10 strikeouts in the victory.
Before the fireworks of game two, the Owls scored in six of the nine innings en route to the victory. Robbins and Baker each reached in the first to start the game, with Robbins coming home on a single by Ric Bishop and Baker racing home on a sacrifice fly by Jay Morrow.
The score remained the same until the fourth when Tyler Stubblefield's one-out double scored Curtis Van Wyck to put KSU ahead by three.
Upstate brought home a run in the home half of the inning but the Owls scored a run in the fifth on a solo homer by Morrow.
In the sixth, KSU started to pull away. Bucky Smith scored on a Robbins single back up the middle to give the Owls a 5-1 lead. Baker would reach on an Upstate error to put runners on first and second, setting the stage for RBI singles by Morrow and Whitmer.
Up 7-1, the Owls gave three runs back to the Spartans in the bottom of the sixth. KSU responded by scoring three back. With the bases loaded, Robbins grounded into a double play. Van Wyck scored on the play, but Robbins did not receive an RBI. Baker bunted his way into a single to drive home Bucky Smith with run number two of the inning. KSU made it an even 10 runs on a Bishop single up the middle.
Bishop enabled the Owls to tack on another run in the ninth as Bishop singled up the middle to score Smith with the final run.
Chad Jenkins pitched eight solid innings to earn the victory. Jenkins allowed four runs on nine hits while striking out seven Spartans.
The Owls will return to action on Tuesday when UAB visits Stillwell Stadium in the first half of a home-and-home series with the Blazers. First pitch is set for 6:00 p.m.
