April 18, 2009
Box Score
MACON, Ga. - Chad Jenkins was brilliant again, pitching his second consecutive complete game shutout to lead Kennesaw State's baseball team to a 9-0 win over Mercer in game one of an Atlantic Sun Conference doubleheader at Claude Smith Field.
After shutting out USC Upstate last Saturday on 93 pitches Jenkins (5-1) was dominant, using just 92 pitches to mow down the Mercer lineup. Pitching a four-hitter this time, Jenkins has now allowed just 11 hits in his last three starts totaling 25.2 innings. The junior struck out six batters and walked no one, retiring the final 20 batters he faced en route to lowering his earned run average to 2.64 on the year.
"Chad was just hitting every spot on every pitch," said KSU Head Coach Mike Sansing. "His fastball had some serious sink action. His slider was in the zone. He just had really, really good stuff with great command."
The Owls (20-14, 12-4) got the only run they would need in the third inning when KSU manufactured a run. Martin Baker singled, stole second, then scored on Bucky Smith's single to center.
One inning later, the Owls tacked on another run when Jace Whitmer connected for the first of his two homers on the day. His ninth homer of the season gave KSU a 2-0 edge.
Tyler Stubblefield continued the scoring in the sixth for the Owls when he drilled the first pitch of the at-bat from Dan April (2-4) over the wall in left, putting the Owls up 3-0.
KSU made gains against the Mercer (15-17, 7-10) bullpen in the seventh, putting the game away with four runs. After Jacob Robbins reached on an error to start the inning and stole second, Ric Bishop singled to right, bringing the senior home to roost. Whitmer then connected for his 10th homer of the season, setting a new KSU Division I record for home runs in a season and putting the Owls on top 6-0.
"Jace is having a great year for us," said Coach Sansing. "It's a huge milestone for us in Division I to have someone hit double-digit home runs."
Clint Roques completed the scoring in the inning with a one-out single that scored Stubblefield from second.
Two more runs scored for the Owls in the ninth as Smith scored when Bishop reached on a two-base error, then Bishop scored on on a Whitmer single. Whitmer finished the contest with four RBIs, giving him a team-best 31 on the season.
The two teams will meet later this afternoon for game three of the series.
Scoreless Streak Breakdown for Jenkins
3/28 @ Stetson - 1.2 innings
4/4 v Lipscomb - 7.2 innings
4/11 v Upstate - 9.0 innings
4/18 @ Mercer - 9.0 innings
Total - 27.1 innings
