May 3, 2008
Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
KENNESAW, Ga.--After moving into second place in the Atlantic Sun Conference last night, Kennesaw State slipped out of the second spot Saturday, losing a doubleheader to Gardner-Webb by scores of 6-4 and 11-4.
The Owls (25-23, 16-11) left eight runners on base in the first game, including leaving the bases loaded twice. The first occasion came in the fourth inning, as entering the frame KSU trailed 3-0. After Jacob Robbins scored on a wild pitch earlier in the inning, a Jay Morrow double, a Jace Whitmer infield hit and a walk to Curtis Van Wyck loaded the bases for Andrew Martin. But Martin flew out to left on a 2-1 pitch to end the inning.
Gardner-Webb (23-25, 14-16) scored two in the fifth to push the lead up to four. The Owls came back with a run in the sixth, but left two men stranded. Van Wyck's two-out single to right center brought in Ric Bishop to make it 5-2. But the Owls couldn't get another run across as the inning came to an end with a strikeout.
A solo homer in the eighth by Justin Loyd put the Bulldogs up by four, but KSU rallied to threaten in the ninth. Whitmer connected for his ninth homer of the season to lead off the frame. After two outs were recorded, singles by Bucky Smith and Tyler Stubblefield kept the inning going for KSU.
With GWU starter Webster Beal (4-5) finally out of the game after 8.2 innings of work, the Owls continued to press against GWU reliever Wes Cogdill. Robbins singled to center to load the bases, and the Owls appeared to catch what could have been a game-changing break when Martin Baker reached on a GWU error to bring in Smith and make the score 6-4. But Bishop was retired on a close play at first to end the contest, giving the Bulldogs the victory.
Chad Jenkins (3-5) took the loss after giving up five runs in seven innings of work. Cogdill earned his first save of the season.
The nightcap was almost all Bulldogs as GWU rolled to a seven-run win. The visitors led 2-0 after two, but KSU cut the gap to one on an RBI single by Robbins.
An unearned runs crossed home in the fourth for GWU, with two earned runs coming home to roost in the fifth for the Bulldogs. The Owls cut the lead to just one run in the bottom of the inning though, plating three runs. Smith led off the inning with a solo homer, with an RBI double by Bishop and a run-scoring double by Morrow following later.
That would be the extent of the KSU offense in game two, however, as the visitors scored six unanswered runs to seal game two, 11-4.
Ben Campbell (2-4) earned the victory with five innings of work with Adam Bullard pitching four scoreless innings for the save, his second of the year. Ryan Rodebaugh was saddled with the loss, allowing five runs (three earned) in four innings of work.
The Owls will be off until next Saturday when North Florida visits Stillwell Stadium for an A-Sun doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
