April 28, 2009
Box Score
KENNESAW, Ga. - Kennesaw State scored 11 runs in the first three innings en route to a 12-9 victory over Alabama State Tuesday evening at Stillwell Stadium in baseball action. Josh Whitaker drove in four runs for KSU in the victory.
The Owls (24-16) fell behind thanks to a pair of unearned runs in the first, but KSU came back with five in the bottom of the inning. Whitaker and Ric Bishop tied the score with back-to-back RBI singles, while Curtis Van Wyck put KSU ahead with an RBI double that landed on the left field line. Bases loaded walks to Ross Tendler and Martin Baker brought in the last two runs.
After Bishop singled to start the second, Whitaker connected for a two-run homer to right, giving the Owls a 7-2 lead. After a Clint Roques double, Bucky Smith singled to right, bringing in Roques with KSU's eighth run of the game.
Three more runs scored in the third for KSU. Whitaker's third hit of the game brought in Tyler Stubblefield to make the score 9-2. Roques picked up an RBI with a fielder's choice one batter later, and with two men out in the inning, the outfielder scored on a passed ball.
Alabama State scored single runs in the fourth and sixth, with the Owls answering in the bottom of the inning as Bishop's single to center brought in Stubblefield with KSU's final run of the game.
The Hornets would make it interesting in the eighth, scoring five times to cut the lead to three, 12-9, but Ryan Rodebaugh entered to earn his first save of the year by retiring the final four batters of the night, with three coming via strikeout.
Adam Fine (1-2) went five innings, allowing one earned run on five hits to earn the victory. Neil Washington (0-2) took the loss.
In the midst of a nine-game homestand that will wrap up the home schedule, KSU will face Georgia Southern tomorrow afternoon at Stillwell Stadium. Originally scheduled to be a single game, the two teams will now play a doubleheader beginning at 3:30 p.m.
