April 4, 2009
Box Score
KENNESAW, Ga. - Kennesaw State's pitchers flexed their dominance this weekend as Justin Edwards struck out 10 batters over seven innings to lead the Owls to first place in the Atlantic Sun Conference with a 13-2 win over Lipscomb in baseball action at Stillwell Stadium.
"We had a team meeting and we came together and just said we've got all the talent in the world, let's just go out and prove it," said Edwards after his performance. "To get 10 strikeouts and just be mentioned in the same category as pitchers like Kyle [Heckathorn] and Chad [Jenkins] is a great feeling."
After officially being no-hit by Lipscomb starter Brandon McClurg in Nashville last season, the Owls (14-12, 8-3) were determined not to let that happen again. KSU got on the board with a pair of runs in the first as Jace Whitmer's double to right-center scored Tyler Stubblefield and Curtis Van Wyck with the first runs of the game.
Lipscomb (13-17, 8-4) answered in the top of the second with a run, and it appeared that after two pitcher's duels in the first two games of the series, game three would provide an offensive explosion by both teams. That would prove to not be the case, as Edwards shut down Lipscomb over the next five innings, and KSU salted the game away against McClurg in the fourth.
With one man out and the bases loaded, Van Wyck singled to center to score Clint Roques. That would be the last batter that McClurg faced, but the Owls weren't done inflicting damage. Whitmer recorded his third RBI of the game when he was hit by the second pitch thrown by Charles Williams. Andrew Martin followed that with a two-run single through the left side, plating Stubblefield and Van Wyck and putting KSU up 6-1. Ric Bishop then reached on a fielder's choice as Martin was eliminated at second; however, the throw to catch Bishop at first sailed past the pitcher covering the bag, allowing Whitmer to score KSU's seventh run of the game.
KSU tacked on a pair in the sixth as Drew Fowlkes was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Clint Roques lifted a deep sacrifice fly to left, driving home Martin with KSU's ninth run.
Lipscomb trimmed the lead in the eighth off of KSU reliever Brad Long, but the Owls put a 4-spot on the board to silence the Bisons. Bishop's RBI single scored Ross Tendler with the first run of the inning. Drew Fowlkes grounded out to second to score Martin for the second run. After a strikeout, Jon White and Jacob Robbins each singled to bring in the final two runs of the contest.
Edwards (2-3) allowed just four hits and one run with one walk and a career-high 10 strikeouts. Long worked the final two innings, allowing two hits and a run.
McClurg (2-3) took the loss for the Bisons, who fell into a tie for second place in the A-Sun with the loss.
The Owls will return to action this Tuesday when they host Western Carolina. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.
