May 16, 2008

Box Score

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - After two magical seasons, the stars were not aligned for the Dolphins in 2008 despite junior catcher Jeremy Gillan going 3-for-4 with a double, two home runs and three RBI as the JU baseball team failed to earn a bid for the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament with an 8-6 loss to Kennesaw State, Friday afternoon in Game Two of a doubleheader at John Sessions Stadium.

JU (27-29, 13-20) rallied from a 2-0 deficit with three runs in the bottom of the second but the Owls rallied for six unanswered runs to pull away. The Dolphins also cut into an 8-3 deficit by scoring three unanswered runs after a two-hour rain delay and having two runners on with one out in the bottom of the ninth.

KSU (30-26, 21-12) earned its first sweep over the Dolphins after pounding out eight runs on 13 hits.

Senior Matt Dobbins (5-6) was tagged with the loss after allowing five runs on nine hits with four walks and three strikeouts in five innings. Senior Matt Davis also made his final appearance in a Dolphin uniform out of the pen.

"We are obviously disappointed with how our season has come to an end," said JU head coach Terry Alexander. "I am also sad to see our six seniors depart this way after they have done so much for this program in the past two seasons. I also want to say thank you to each of their families for being so supportive in their time with the program."

Along with Gillan, who ends the year leading the squad in hits (80), doubles (10), home runs (9), RBI (60), total bases (120) and slugging percentage (.545), senior shortstop Matt Lopez finished 2-for-3 with a home run (his career-best third of the season) and three RBI. Senior first baseman David Yates also had a career day at the plate with a 2-for-4 performance. Senior center fielder Kevin Ferreira ended the 2008 campaign with a team-high 48 runs and 26 stolen bases, while ranking second on the team with 67 hits.

Jacob Robbins led the Owls by going 3-for-6 with two runs, while Curtis Van Wyck, Ross Tendler and Tyler Stubblefield each finished with multiple hits.

The Owls took a 1-0 lead in the first when Jacob Robbins scored from third on a throwing error by the Dolphins.

KSU increased the margin to 2-0 after an RBI single through the right side by Tyler Stubblefield.

The Dolphins took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the second when Lopez hit a three-run homer with one out.

Junior catcher Jeremy Gillan led off the inning with a double down the third-base line and then advanced to third on a single through the right side by senior first baseman David Yates. With one out, Lopez crushed a 1-1 pitch over the left-center wall for his third homer of the season.

The Owls recaptured the lead, 5-3, in the top of the fifth when Drew Fowles hit a two-run double to right center and Ross Tendler hit an RBI single through the left side.

KSU increased the margin to 8-3 in the top of the sixth when Jace Whitmer, Curtis Van Wyck and Ross Tendler recorded RBI singles.

The Dolphins cut the deficit to 8-5 in the bottom of the sixth when Gillan hit a two-run home run with one out.

JU made it 8-6 in the bottom of the ninth when Gillan led off the inning with a solo shot to left field on a 2-1 pitch.

Sophomore second baseman Chuck Opachich led off the inning with a walk and then trotted home when Gillan hit a 1-2 pitch over the left-field wall for his team-tying eighth of the season.

With the loss, it marked the last collegiate game for Dobbins, Lopez, Yates, Davis, Ferreira and pitcher Adam Rapoza. All six seniors were important parts to JU's recent success including the second most wins in program history (43) and the program's first A-Sun regular-season title in 2006, an A-Sun Tournament Championship in 2007 and back-to-back NCAA Regional appearances for the first time since 1993-94.

In the career record books, Davis ends his JU career tied for second in saves (13) and Dobbins finishes tied for sixth in wins (20) and seventh in innings pitched (255.3). Lopez ends his tenure tied for seventh in hits (226), sixth in games played (218) and fourth in sacrifice hits (26).