March 28, 2009
Box Score
DeLAND, Fla. - Sophomore Bucky Smith's second home run of the day drove in the go-ahead runs and Clint Roques had four RBIs as Kennesaw State defeated Stetson 13-6 in game one of a doubleheader at Melching Field.
The Owls trailed 1-0 entering the third before Smith uncorked his first home run of the game, a drive over the wall in left center. The Hatters responded in the bottom of the inning as Aaron Crittenden lifted a three-run blast out to right center, putting Stetson back on top, 4-1.
Kennesaw State chipped away, scoring a pair in the fourth when Clint Roques homered to left, cutting the Stetson lead to one. The score stayed the same until the sixth. Pinch hitter Ric Bishop singled to second with runners on the corners, driving in Jon White with the tying run. Two batters later, Smith connected on an 0-1 offering for his second homer of the game, putting the Owls ahead, 7-4.
The Hatters came right back in the bottom of the inning, as Mark Jones cranked out a two-run homer to left center to bring Stetson within a run.
The Owls would salt the game away in the seventh and eighth innings, scoring three runs in each. Clint Roques pushed his RBI total to four on the day with a two-run single to start the scoring in the seventh. Jacob Robbins capped the scoring in the frame when he scored Roques on a single to center. In the next inning, White drove home Tyler Stubblefield with a single through the left side of the Stetson infield. Drew Fowlkes then doubled home Andrew Martin, with White scoring on a Stetson error to make the score 13-6.
Chad Jenkins (2-1) earned the win for KSU, going 6.1 innings and allowing six runs on 13 hits. The junior walked no one and struck out five. Justin Edwards earned his second save of the year with 2.2 innings of work as he came in with the tying run on deck in the seventh inning.
Ian Thompson allowed two runs in two-thirds of an inning to take the loss.
The two teams will meet in the final game of the series later today.
