By: by Jason Hanes
Box Score
KENNESAW, Ga. - On the strength of a five-run seventh inning and three solid pitching performances, Kennesaw State defeated No. 2 Georgia Tech, 7-4,
Wednesday evening at Stillwell Stadium. The Owls won for the third time in program history against the Yellow Jackets, and with wins over Georgia and Georgia State this season, have now defeated all three local rivals.
"I thought that pitching-wise, we really did a good job this evening," said KSU head coach Mike Sansing, who saw his team improve to 11-16 on the season. "We got a big double from Bucky Smith in the second inning to give us some life, and we kept battling all the way to the end."
In the seventh inning with the score tied at 3-3 and the bases loaded, the Owls were the beneficiaries of Tech's lone error. Tyler Stubblefield chopped the ball to third, with Thomas Nichols coming home to force the runner out at the plate. Catcher Matt Skole tried to turn the double play with a throw to first, but the throw sailed high, rolling all the way to the wall in the right field corner. Two runs came home to roost for the Owls and Stubblefield motored over to third with KSU on top, 5-3.
One batter later, Peyton Hart's suicide squeeze was laid down perfectly towards third base, stopping on the infield grass to plate Stubblefield and put Hart aboard with KSU's second infield hit of the inning. After a pair of wild pitches moved Hart to third, Drew Fowlkes singled solidly into left off of Zach Brewster, scoring Hart to give KSU a 7-3 advantage.
The Yellow Jackets (22-3) made things interesting in the ninth, loading the bases with three walks. With the tying run at the plate and one out, KSU hurler Kelly Holt plunked Derek Dietrich in the back, giving the Tech shortstop his third RBI of the game and cutting KSU's advantage to 7-4. Holt (2-2) would be lifted for J.B. Johnson, who earned his third save of the season by striking out Tony Plagman and Cole Leonida to end the game.
Zak Griffith didn't factor in the decision for the Owls. The sophomore pitched 6.2 solid innings, giving up a two-run home run in the first to Dietrich and an unearned run in the seventh inning. Griffith allowed three hits while walking four and fanning four. Buck Farmer (2-1) took the loss for the Yellow Jackets, allowing three runs (one earned) in three innings of action.
On the night, the Yellow Jackets earned just three hits against KSU pitching as the visitors settled for taking eight walks from the Owls. "We gave up some bases, but we kept their hitters off-balance for the most part," said Coach Sansing.
After Dietrich's home run in the first gave the Yellow Jackets a 2-0 lead, Smith responded one inning later with one of KSU's biggest hits of the game. With two men on and two out, Smith ripped a 3-2 offering from Luke Bard into right center for a two-run double, tying the score, 2-2.
Tech took the lead in the seventh when a potential double play ball was mishandled by Stubblefield, allowing Jacob Esch to score all the way from second, giving the Yellow Jackets their last lead of the contest.
The Owls will return to action
tomorrow afternoon at Stillwell Stadium as they take on Belmont in an Atlantic
Sun Conference contest. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.
Notes: The crowd of 1,147 at Stillwell Stadium was the largest since the Owls drew 1,163 against Georgia March 25, 2008...Johnson is now 3-0 on the season with three saves and a team-high 16 appearances.
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| KSU Head Coach Mike Sansing |
KSU starting pitcher Zak Griffith |
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| Three-base error gives Owls the lead |
