May 2, 2008
Box Score
KENNESAW, Ga.--Junior Ric Bishop drove in three runs in support of starting pitcher Kyle Heckathorn as the Kennesaw State baseball team (25-21, 16-9 A-Sun) defeated Gardner-Webb, 11-5. The Owls sent 11 batters to the plate in the seventh inning, with seven of them coming around to score.
"I think we had some good at-bats late in the game," said KSU head coach Mike Sansing, who won his 793rd career game. "We did a good job of battling when we were behind in the count to get some hits and get the job done."
GWU (21-25, 12-16) batted around in the third inning, scoring four runs to jump on top, 4-0. The Owls clawed back into the contest with a two-run homer by Bishop in the bottom of the frame to cut the deficit in half.
The Bulldogs added another run in the fourth as Jamall Kinard doubled down the right field line. The visitors had a chance to have a bigger inning, but Mike Rizzuto stumbled rounding third and was tagged out before he could get back to the bag.
That would be all that Heckathorn would allow the Bulldogs. In his longest outing of the season, the sophomore worked seven innings, allowing eight hits and one run while tying a season-best with eight strikeouts, including four straight strikeouts in the final five batters.
With Heckathorn done for the evening, the Owls offense rose to the occasion to earn the starter the victory. Jacob Robbins tripled into the corner in right field to score Tyler Stubblefield and bring KSU within two. Martin Baker followed with a single to left to bring in Robbins and cut GWU's lead to a single run.
After a walk to Bishop, a wild pitch put two runners in scoring position for Jay Morrow. The senior would single into right center, bringing home Baker to tie the game.
The Black and Gold weren't done scoring yet, as Jace Whitmer's single through the left side scored Bishop to put KSU on top, 6-5. Curtis Van Wyck sent a grounder through the same spot in the infield for a single, scoring Morrow to give the Owls a two-run edge.
With two out after Jerome Wooley reached on a fielder's choice, Coach Sansing gambled and put the runners in motion for a double steal. When the return throw home to retire Whitmer bounced away, the Owls had executed the double steal to make it 8-5.
The final run of the frame scored when Bucky Smith singled into shallow center, bringing home Wooley with the seventh run of the seventh.
The Owls added a pair in the eighth on RBI singles by Bishop and Whitmer. Michael Bohana retired the side in the eighth and the ninth to seal the deal, giving KSU the victory.
Ryan Maxa (3-3) took the loss for GWU, allowing three runs without retiring a batter in relief of starter Jonathon Ban. Ban worked 6.1 innings, allowing four runs on six hits while throwing 115 pitches.
The two teams will meet again tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. for a doubleheader.
Notes: Bishop earned his 50th hit and drove in his 40th run of the season...Heckathorn has now struck out 46 batters in 45.1 innings...Robbins had his seventh extra-base hit of the season with the triple in the seventh to go along with 56 singles...The Owls improved to 8-3 when not committing an error.
