March 30, 2009
Box Score
KENNESAW, Ga. - Kennesaw State's baseball team stranded six runners in scoring position over the final five innings, falling to Georgia State, 5-4, on Monday night at Stillwell Stadium.
Monday's contest, scheduled in order to help both teams make up games lost due to weather related problems, was a see-saw affair for the first few innings. The Owls (11-12) took a 2-0 lead in the second inning when Jon White connected on an offering from Will Palmer for a two-run homer over the wall in left. Georgia State answered with a pair of runs, but reliever Danny Payne was able to get out of the inherited jam with only two runs scoring.
The Panthers (16-7) took the lead in the fourth on a sacrifice fly, one of two sac flies for the the visitors. The Owls tied the score on a strange play in the bottom of the inning. Tyler Stubblefield was hit by a pitch, then stole second with one man out in the inning. Ric Bishop hit a chopper back to the mound, and Stubblefield was initially caught between second and third. Instead, Ryan Moore's throw went to first to retire Bishop, but Stubblefield went sprinting towards third. Theo Asher's throw to third to try to eliminate the runner bounced away towards the bullpen in left, allowing Stubblefield to score the tying run.
In the fifth, the Panthers scored what would prove to be the game-winning runs as Marc Mimeault and Chase Childers hit back-to-back doubles, with Childers' rope to right scoring what would be the winning run. The Owls answered in the bottom of the inning when Clint Roques launched a solo homer onto the roof of the Bailey Building in left. a trend would start for the Owls after that, as KSU would load the bases with two out in the fifth, but would be unable to score the tying run.
In the sixth, KSU got runners on second and third with two men out, but again, the run didn't touch home. After being retired in order in the seventh, the Owls nearly took advantage of two GSU errors to tie the game. Stubblefield reached second to start the inning on a dropped fly ball. After a sac bunt by Bishop, Jon White reached on a throwing error at short, putting runners on the corners for Roques. Roques hit a chopper to third, and the Panthers were barely able to turn a double play as Roques was called out on a bang-bang play at first base to end the threat.
In the ninth, the Owls got a one out walk to Martin Baker. Baker moved to second on a ground out, but Curtis Van Wyck bounced out to end the contest.
Ryan Moore (3-1) earned the win for GSU, while Payne (0-1) took the loss for KSU.
The Owls will be back in action this Wednesday at Presbyterian.
