By: KSU Sports Information Department
When the Owls hosted Georgia Tech on the evening of April 5, it was the second meeting of the year between the teams with the Yellow Jackets taking the opener in Atlanta a month prior. At that time, the Yellow Jackets were ranked in the top 30 nationally and were in the midst of a solid, if not overwhelming, start to the season.
In the month that had passed, Georgia Tech had soared to a No. 2 national ranking and a top-spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Owls had won four of six games and were getting ready for a key three-game series that upcoming weekend at Stetson in which they themselves could take over first-place in the Atlantic Sun Conference.
The series between the two teams had been decidedly in favor of Georgia Tech in the early years and even though they lead the all-time series, in recent times the Owls have given their metro rivals some sturdy competition.
“The game between us and Tech is always a big event, as it had been since the first time we played each other,” said head coach Mike Sansing. “This rivalry is different in the fact that both teams have players who have played against each other or as teammates since they were playing youth ball.”
The evening featured a sell-out crowd, a crowd that would go on to set the Stillwell Stadium attendance record. The Owls, for the first time ever, would be wearing their baby blue jerseys in support of prostate cancer awareness.
“The guys were really excited about the blue uniforms,” said Sansing. “Our promotions director Brian LeHeup, came to us with the idea of wearing baby blue jerseys to support prostate cancer awareness and we agreed that it was a great idea and it added a little more excitement to the game.”
The Owls fell behind 1-0 on an unearned run in the second inning and trailed by that margin heading into the bottom of the fourth inning before scoring three runs, two coming on an error for their first lead of the night.
“The crowd was so loud after we tied the game and then took the lead,” nodded Sansing. “I remember being in the coaches box at third and looking behind me and seeing a crowd of fans four and five deep at the fence and that was pretty special, especially seeing all of the students.”
Georgia Tech fought back with two unearned runs in the fourth inning to tie the game and then pulled ahead as they tacked on three runs in the top of the sixth inning to take a 6-3 lead.
“Both teams gave up a lot of unearned runs,” surmised Sansing. “It’s one of those things where you feel good because you got some unearned runs, but then you fell a little bit worse when you give them back. Still, in the flow of the game, we never really felt like we were out of it, although we weren’t playing our best ball we were still right there in the thick of things.”
The Owls used an error to score without a hit in the bottom of the seventh inning and although they had just three hits they found themselves trailing the No. 2-ranked Jackets by just two runs headed into the bottom of the ninth.
“It’s an old baseball adage that the last three outs are the hardest to get,” added Sansing. “That’s something that always runs through my mind, whether we are leading or trailing and I knew we weren’t going to make it easy on them to finish the game.”
Aaron Dobbs popped out to short to begin the inning, but in a game of oddities things took yet another turn. A pitch hit Ronnie Freeman and Andy Chriscaden would walk after fouling the first pitch off before taking four consecutive pitches out of the strike zone.
“We felt like if we had a few guys reach base then we had enough depth in our lineup to get back in the game,” said assistant coach Derrick Tucker. “Once it was apparent that the Tech pitchers were having trouble finding the zone we were trying to be patient. Our guys did a great job of not going out of their zone and taking the walks that were given to them.”
“I was feeling good at that point to have the tying run on base,” added Sansing. “But, we also knew that we didn’t have the speediest guys on the base paths so Drew’s [Fowlkes] at bat took on more importance.”
Fowlkes drilled a two-hopper that was headed in between first and second base. However, a lunging Yellow Jackets first baseman, Jake Davies, saved a run as he smothered the ball, keeping it in the infield and loading the bases.
“After Drew lined that ball to first base we felt like we were mounting some pressure,” added Sansing. “A hard hit ball sometimes does that, and you could feel that the momentum had started to shift more in our favor.”
Still with one out, Georgia Tech reliever Luke Bard faced Peyton Hart and the Owls sophomore quickly worked the count in his favor before maneuvering a five-pitch walk to bring the Owls to within one run at 6-5.
“We had good plate discipline all night,” continued the Owls mentor. “They ended up walking 11 batters and to our credit we held our composure. But, I remember thinking while things are going well for us we had to keep out of the double play, which would have ended the game.”
The walk brought in Jacob Esch from the Jackets bullpen, their fourth pitcher of the night, but the right-hander couldn’t provide a stop as he walked Ethan Herron on five pitches to tie the game and keep the bases loaded; still with one out.
“We went over a quick scouting report while Esch was warming up,” said Sansing. “Knowing he was a fastball guy we told Ethan [Herron] to be aggressive and get something good to hit. To be honest, we weren’t even thinking about a walk. Even with the count at 3-1, Ethan was looking for something to drive.”
With most of the fans from the crowd of more than twelve hundred still in attendance, Ray Anderson, who pinch-hit and struck out on three pitches in the eighth inning, stepped up to the plate.
“We felt really good with Ray up,” said Sansing. “We knew anything on the ground, except to the pitcher, he would beat out and the game would be over. Only a come-backer or a line drive could end the inning.”
After a first-pitch ball and a called strike on the next pitch Anderson swung at the following pitch and poked a shallow pop fly just beyond second base. The second baseman traveled back and the right fielder sprinted in, converging on the shallow hit ball.
“I remember yelling at the runners when it was hit because it seemed to be the one location where they could actually get the double play,” added Sansing. “But, the ball carried a little bit and dropped in.”
Chris Wages scored the game-winning run from third base as Anderson was mobbed in between first and second base by a flood of Owls emerging from the dugout as the 7-6 final score glowed on the scoreboard in right-center field.
“Beating one of your in-state rivals who happens to be the No. 2 team in the nation after trailing by two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning in front of the largest-ever crowd at your stadium is something you can’t script,” concluded Sansing. “But, that’s what makes this game unique.”
