April 17, 2009
Box Score
MACON, Ga. - The top of the order did the offensive damage for Kennesaw State as Jacob Robbins, Tyler Stubblefield, and Ric Bishop combined for nine hits and six RBIs to lead the Owls to a 7-3 win over Mercer in Atlantic Sun Conference baseball action Friday night.
Scoreless through three innings, the Owls (19-14, 11-4) scored four in the fourth to back KSU starting pitcher Kyle Heckathorn. Jon White drove in the first run with a double to left, scoring Andrew Martin. With men on second and third, a perfect bunt by Robbins resulted in a single and an RBI as Martin Baker raced home with KSU's second run of the inning. Stubblefield matched the effort of Robbins with a bunt single and an RBI, putting the Owls up 3-0. The final run came home on Bishop's single back up the middle which plated Robbins.
A pair of two-out hits in the sixth inning by Mercer (15-16, 7-9) enabled the Bears to trim the lead to one, as Thomas Carroll and Steven Karwatt helped cut the score to 4-3. KSU extended the lead back to two with an RBI single through the right side in the eighth inning by Bishop, scoring White.
Heckathorn (4-1) would depart after 7.2 innings of work, allowing three runs on six hits with two walks and eight strikeouts. Kenny Faulk entered in relief with the tying run at the plate, but the hurler was able to get Carroll to fly out to end the inning.
The Owls finished off the scoring with two in the ninth as a two-run double by Stubblefield into the gap in right center scored Baker and Robbins with the final runs of the game.
Faulk earned his third save of the season after retiring the side in the ninth inning.
KSU out-hit Mercer 15-7, with six different Owls earning multiple hits.
The two teams will meet again tomorrow afternoon for a doubleheader beginning at Noon. The Owls will enter play with a one-half game lead over Florida Gulf Coast for first place in the A-Sun.
