March 21, 2009
Box Score
KENNESAW, Ga. - Kyle Heckathorn pitched a complete-game shutout, allowing just five hits while striking out 11 batters as the Kennesaw State baseball team defeated Southern Utah 8-0 in the opener of a three-game series at Stillwell Stadium.
The Atlantic Sun Conference's Preseason Pitcher of the Year more than lived up to the title in Friday's contest. In throwing his first complete-game of his career and his first solo shutout, Heckathorn only allowed one Thunderbirds runner to reach third base once in the contest. Four of the strikeouts from the Ringgold, Ga., native came in the eighth and ninth innings.
Heckathorn (2-0) got all of the offense he would need in the first inning as Jacob Robbins connected for a solo home run to put the Owls ahead, 1-0. After an RBI single by Andrew Martin in the second gave the Owls (8-8) a 2-0 edge, Jordan Craft connected for his second homer of the season to put KSU up 3-0. Ironically, Robbins and Craft have homered together for the second time this season, and each of the home runs they have hit were their first and second career home runs.
Robbins drove in two more runs with a single in the fifth to stake KSU to a 5-0 lead. Robbins and Tyler Stubblefield would score later in the inning when Jace Whitmer doubled to right, putting the Owls on top 7-0.
The score remained the same until the eighth when the Owls tacked on an insurance run as Whitmer scored on a Southern Utah (9-8) error.
The two teams will square off tomorrow in a doubleheader scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. at Stillwell Stadium.
