Saturday, April 05, 2008

KENNESAW, Ga. (April 5, 2008) - The ETSU baseball team dropped two close games to Kennesaw State Saturday at Stillwell Stadium in Kennesaw, Ga. as they fell 7-6 in game one and lost in eleven innings in game two to the Owls, 6-5.

ETSU (6-23, 6-11) out hit the Owls in game one 14-11, but were tied in hits in game two at 12 a piece. The Bucs stranded 11 runners in game one and 12 in game two as ETSU could not get a clutch hit when they needed it the most. ETSU also struck out a combined 24 times in the doubleheader.

Jay Morrow got the scoring started in game one as his RBI single gave Kennesaw a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. The Owls would get two more runs in the bottom of the second on a two-run single by Jacob Robbins to take a 3-0 lead.

Kennesaw State added another run in the bottom of the third on a two out RBI double by Drew Fowlkes to make the score 4-0.

Anthony Russell (Waldorf, Md.) cut into the Owl lead as he hit a monster shot to left center that landed on the concourse of the Bailey building that is part of the left field fence to cut the lead down to 4-1. Later in the top of the fourth, Ben Allen (Kingsport, Tenn.) drove in Paul Hoilman (Johnson City, Tenn.) to make the score 4-2.

Russell continued his hot streak as he hit another bomb in the top of the fifth driving in Nick Belcher (Abingdon, Va.) to tie up the game 4-4.

In the top of the sixth, Troy Mendez (Roswell, Ga.) drove a single into left, but Allen was cut down at the plate by the Kennesaw left fielder to end the inning.

The Owls would take the lead back in the bottom of the seventh as Morrow would hit a two-run single to right center to make the score 6-4. Kennesaw scored another run in the inning on a Jace Whitmer double to right center to take a 7-4 lead.

In the top of the ninth, Derek Trent cut into the Kennesaw lead as he hit a two-run line drive home run over the right field fence, but it would not be enough as the final score would be 7-6.

The Owls got out to a 3-0 lead in game two on an RBI double by Jay Morrow and a RBI single by Whitmer.

Russell continued his hot hitting in the top of the third as he punished a Chad Jenkins pitch over the left field fence to make the score 3-2. Kennesaw answered in the bottom of the third on a grounder to first as Ric Bishop would come in to score to give the Owls a 4-2 lead.

Jacob Fabry (Chattanooga, Tenn.) drove in Bart Roark (Mountain City, Tenn.) on a sharp grounder to second in the top of the fourth to cut the Kennesaw lead to 4-3.

Whitmer hit a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth as the Owls extended their lead to 5-3.

In the top of the eighth, Allen singled down the right field line driving in Petro to cut the Kennesaw lead down to 5-4. A couple batters later Belcher singled in pinch runner Chris Rankhorn (Gallatin, Tenn.)  to tie the game at 5-5.

In the bottom of the eleventh Andrew Martin singled to left center to bring in the winning run as Kennesaw would win 6-5.

Russell, Petro and Mendez led the team offensively as Russell was 4-for-11 with three home runs, four RBI and scored three runs. Petro and Mendez each were 4-for-8 as Petro scored a run, stole two bases and walked twice, while Mendez score a run and walked twice.

Dustin Plumlee (Powell, Tenn.) and Ben Andrews (Leesburg, Fla.) pitched well in relief for the Bucs. Plumlee pitched two scoreless innings only allowing two hits, while Andrews pitched four innings allowing only one run on five hits and struck out four.

The Bucs are back in action tomorrow as they will try to salvage the series as the game time is set for 1 p.m.

Game 1: Kennesaw State 7, ETSU 6 (April 5, 2008 at Kennesaw, Ga.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
ETSU........000  220  002   -  6  14  0   (6-22, 6-10 A-Sun)

KSU.......... 121  000  30x   -  7  11  0    (13-16, 7-6 A-Sun)

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: ETSU - Brandon Langston; Ben Andrews (7)
KSU -  Kyle Heckathorn; Michael Bohana (7)

Win - Michael Bohana (1-2) Loss - Brandon Langston (2-5)

HR - ETSU - Anthony Russell 2(11); Derek Trent (6)

Game 2: Kennesaw State 0, ETSU 0 (April 5, 2008 at Kennesaw, Ga.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
ETSU........002  100  020  00   -  5  12  1   (6-23, 6-11 A-Sun)

KSU.......... 301  010  000  01   -  6  12  1    (14-16, 8-6 A-Sun)

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: ETSU -  Ty Sarchet ; Dustin Plumlee (7); Ben Andrews (9)
KSU -  Chad Jenkins; Wes Tignor (7); Ryan Rodebaugh (8); Kenny Faulk (10)

Win - Kenny Faulk (1-0) Loss - Ben Andrews (1-2)

HR - ETSU - Anthony Russell (12)

KSU - Jace Whitmer (4)