May 9, 2009
Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
KENNESAW, Ga. - Junior Justin Edwards pitched one of the best games of his career, tossing 143 pitches in a complete game victory over Florida Gulf Coast, 6-5, on Saturday afternoon at Stillwell Stadium in game two of an Atlantic Sun Conference doubleheader. In game one, FGCU scored five runs in the ninth to win 11-7.
"Justin did a tremendous job for us today," said KSU head coach Mike Sansing. "With our bullpen depleted, we really needed him to step up. He battled the whole game, and did a great job of getting ahead of batters. I couldn't be more proud of him."
FGCU (33-17, 21-6) was trying to clinch the A-Sun regular season championship, but Edwards was up to the task of delaying a celebration on the Stillwell Stadium field on KSU's Senior Day. The Eagles scored the first run of the contest, but the Owls (28-20, 18-8) plated two in the bottom of the inning. Jacob Robbins led off the inning with his KSU-record 12th career triple, then scored on a Tyler Stubblefield double. Stubblefield came home to score on a Jace Whitmer double to left center.
The Owls tacked on four runs in the third inning to push the lead to five. Clint Roques started the scoring with a one-out homer onto the roof of the Bailey Building in left. With men on the corners and two men out, Andrew Martin legged out an infield hit to shortstop, scoring Whitmer. When the return throw to the pitcher went wildly towards the FGCU dugout, KSU's runners advanced to second and third. The Black and Gold would tack on two more, as Curtis Van Wyck scored on a wild pitch and Bucky Smith singled through the middle to plate Martin.
From there, it was up to Edwards and the KSU defense to hold on for dear life agains the power-hitting FGCU squad. A three-run homer by Brad Roberts in the sixth brought the Eagles within a pair, and a homer over the wall in right by Josh Chester cut the margin to a single run.
In the ninth, a pair of errors by the Owls nearly handed the trophy to the Eagles. After one KSU error had already allowed FGCU to have a batter reach safely, a bad transfer from the glove to the throwing hand by Jon White resulted in a second error, putting two men on. After a walk loaded the bases, the Eagles had a golden opportunity, but Edwards made sure it would slip from their grasp. A fly out by Chester on a 1-2 count ended the contest, giving the Owls the victory, preventing a series sweep for FGCU.
Edwards threw 143 pitches, giving up 11 hits and five runs with two walks and five strikeouts. That said, he was able to get all 27 outs and give the Owls offense a chance to win the game.
Pete Woodworth (4-2) took the loss for the Eagles, allowing six runs on 11 hits in an eight inning complete game.
In game one of the doubleheader, the Owls had a similar opportunity to win that went by the wayside. KSU scored four in the first on two-RBI singles by Josh Whitaker and Martin, but FGCU came back to tie with four in the third of its own. KSU regained the lead in the third as Van Wyck doubled down the left field line, plating a pair to make the score 6-4. KSU tacked on its final run of the game in the fourth as Whitmer doubled into right, scoring Ric Bishop, who had three hits in the contest.
Chad Jenkins gave up six runs on 10 hits in eight innings of work with 10 strikeouts to boot, but left after 123 pitches. Adam Fine (1-3) came on in relief was able to get the first two outs without a run scoring. But one batter later, a grould rule double by Mikel Alvarez tied the score, and a three-run homer by Tim Roberson gave FGCU a lead it would not give up.
The Owls enter the final week of the season trailing FGCU by two and one-half games in the A-Sun standings. KSU must sweep North Florida this Thursday and Friday and have Florida Gulf Coast get swept by Stetson in Fort Myers, Fla., this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
