March 7, 2009
Box Score
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. - Kennesaw State rode a complete-game effort by Chad Jenkins to a 14-2 win over East Tennessee State in game one of an Atlantic Sun Conference baseball doubleheader. In game two, the Owls rallied to take a late lead but fell 9-8 on a walk-off two-run homer.
In game one, ETSU took a 2-0 lead in the first but the Owls blew the game open with eight runs in the second. The big blow in the inning came on Curtis Van Wyck's bases-clearing three-run double, scoring Martin Baker, Tyler Stubblefield, and Jace Whitmer. One batter later, Josh Whitaker completed the 8-spot with a double to score Van Wyck.
The Owls batted around again in the fifth, scoring four times to push the lead to 10. Andrew Martin and Ric Bishop each drove in a run with hits, while Jordan Craft plated a pair with a two-run double.
The Owls finished the scoring in the seventh with a two-run double by Stubblefield. From there, Jenkins retired the Bucs in order in the seventh to finish off the win in seven innings.
Jenkins (1-0) was dominant for the Owls, giving up just two runs on four hits and two walks in seven innings while striking out 12 in the complete-game effort.
Game two was a see-saw affair, with the Owls taking a 4-0 lead after an inning and a half. Stubblefield opened the scoring with a solo homer in th efirst, then Martin connected for his first homer of the game, a two-run shot down the line in left, to put the Owls up 3-0. Stubblefield drove in KSU's fourth run with a sacrifice fly.
ETSU (5-4, 1-2) rallied with a run in the second, then four runs in the fourth to take a 5-4 lead. A triple to right-center by Jacob Fabry in the fourth scored two of the runs for the Bucs, with Fabry scoring on a wild pitch to put the home team on top.
The Bucs pushed the lead to three with two runs in the fifth as Fabry drove in a run with a double to left. Fabry then stole third and stole on a wild pitch to put the Bucs up 7-4.
The Owls (5-5. 3-2) tied the score with the long ball in the seventh. Martin and Stubblefield each hit their second home runs of the game, with Martin's a solo shot to left and Stubblefield's a two-run blast to right-center, tying the game at 7-7.
The game came down to the ninth inning, with the Owls inching ahead 8-7 in the top of the frame. Ric Bishop started the inning with a pinch-hit single, then moved around to score on an infield hit by Whitmer.
But ETSU would pull out the win. With one out in the ninth, Danny Petro lifted a two-run homer out to right-center, giving the Bucs a 9-8 win.
Kenny Faulk (1-2) took the loss for the Owls, allowing three runs on four hits in three innings of work.
For the series, Martin finished with eight runs batted in. Stubblefield drove in six runs in the doubleheader.
The Owls will return to action this Wednesday when they take on metro Atlanta rival Georgia Tech. First pitch is set for 6:00 p.m. at Russ Chandler Stadium in downtown Atlanta.
