Category | Sports

Defense helps Owls go 1-3

Published on March 2, 2010 by Ben Poplin

In a series that featured multiple home runs, big defensive plays and clutch players, the KSU Owls (1-6) won one of three games this weekend against the Samford Bulldogs (5-8). 

Freshman catcher Ronnie Freeman had a season-high of three hits and one RBI. Photo by Greg Ranallo.

“Practices had been very good and the players were handling the rough start to the season maturely,” said coach Mike Sansing prior to the first game.

From the start of the first game, the Owls’ bats boomed.  Senior shortstop Tyler Stubblefield wasted no time connecting for a solo homer on the third pitch from Samford’s Jonathan Stephens in the bottom of the first-inning.  Three batters later, junior Drew Fowlkes, a left-handed hitter, put the ball over the head of Samford right-fielder Trey Hayes, driving in Josh Whitaker who had singled.  The game featured starter Ryan Rodebaugh and a relief effort from Brad Long.  Third baseman Peyton Hart, a red-shirt freshman, stepped up in the bottom of the seventh inning and hit a triple to score three Owl base-runners.

“I thought fall because I wanted the ball to fall over the guy’s head,” Hart said. “It means a lot to me because it is my first college win.”

Looking to build on the momentum from their first win, Sansing and his team came into Saturday’s game feeling good.

“It is all part of the maturation process of college sports,” Sansing said. “Not only on the field, but away from it as well.”

Samford got off to a hot start, scoring six runs with the help of first baseman Bo Smith and second baseman Michael Johnson.  Owl starter Sean Fream walked three Bulldogs earlier in the inning, putting runners into scoring position.

Similar to Friday’s game, the Owls’ bats were also active in the first inning.  Fowlkes connected for another two-run homer, and junior first baseman Ross Tendler followed with his own.

In this game Samford’s bats proved to be too much for the Owls. Solid relief efforts from Josh Carr and Kyle Clayton kept the Bulldogs at bay long enough for the Owls to come within one run of tying the game.  Runners left on base and missed opportunities plagued KSU and contributed to the loss.

Even though both teams had solid offense before Sunday’s game, the first inning went quietly.  Both teams scored in the second inning with help from a 2-run homer by Samford designated hitter Trip Swann and a run-scoring single from KSU freshman Ronnie Freeman.

Owls’ starter Bryan Blough pitched through the bottom of the fifth inning and left the scored tied at 2-2.  At first, sophomore Zak Griffith struggled to deliver a strike, but settled down and got Samford outfielder Trey Hayes to ground into a double play started by Tyler Stubblefield.  An inside-the-park home run by Samford’s Mason Meredeth sealed the deal for the Owls despite center fielder Bucky Smith’s effort to make the catch.

A bright spot for KSU was freshman Ronnie Freeman who went 3-for-3 at the plate with a run batted in. “I shortened up my swing and spent a little more time in the batting cage,” said Freeman about the adjustments. Ray Anderson, Peyton Hart and Drew Fowlkes also recorded hits for the Owls.