JETHAWKS NOTEBOOK: NEWCOMERS HAVE STRENGTHENED 'HAWKS' BULLPEN.

Byline: Gideon Rubin Special to the Daily News

STOCKTON - In just a week, new additions Matt Wilkinson and Micah Owings have helped turn the JetHawks' bullpen from a liability into a strength.

Wilkinson, a 27-year-old Australian right-hander coming off an elbow injury, has been an effective closer. He completed both save chances over the weekend to help the JetHawks to a much-needed series victory over Stockton.

Wilkinson struck out two and allowed a hit in one inning of a 8-6 triumph Sunday over Stockton. He also pitched a scoreless ninth in a 3-2 win Friday over the Ports.

Owings, a third-round pick in last month's Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft out of Tulane, has three strikeouts in two perfect innings. And although he pitched 129 2/3 innings for Tulane, his arm has shown plenty of life, with his fastball topping out at 94 mph.

The JetHawks' bullpen struggles were obvious during a 10-game losing streak, during which Lancaster relievers allowed 43 runs after the sixth inning.

A more effective bullpen gives the JetHawks a shot at making the playoffs, either as a wild card or by winning the second-half Southern Division title.

``It picks the whole team up,'' manager Bill Plummer said. ``They know they have a closer who can put games away for us, and that really pumps everybody up. They know if they score late, they have a good chance to win.''

Plummer said Friday's victory, in which the JetHawks held on to a one-run lead going into the seventh inning, was especially impressive.

``We haven't won a lot of games like that since early in the season,'' Plummer said. ``We haven't won that many one-run games in a while.''

--Important threshold: Sunday's victory was especially important because it brought Lancaster's overall record to 50-50, just the second time since the start of the first half the JetHawks have reached .500. They are 13-17 in the second half.

``We started out nine games under .500, and for us to get to just four under, I think that shows the character of this team,'' Plummer said.

The JetHawks are 13-8 since a team meeting in which Plummer set a goal of winning 25 of the next 40 games. The JetHawks are on pace to reach that goal.

``If we can get back to .500 (in the second half) by mid-August, then I think we can make a run,'' Plummer said.

--Big contributors: Outfielder Alex Frazier and infielder Erik Schindewolf were big contributors Sunday.

In his first game playing the outfield since coming off the disabled list July 9, Frazier homered twice, with a two-run shot in the eighth that extended Lancaster's lead to 8-4.

Schindewolf, who's been in a slump since mid-May - his average has dropped more than 70 points - was 3 for 4 with a homer.

--Also: Infielder Neb Brown was assigned to Triple-A Tucson (Ariz.) before the start of the Stockton series, leaving the JetHawks with 24 players on their roster. Plummer said he's not sure when a new position player would arrive. ... Outfielder Steve Garrabrants is day-to-day after aggravating a wrist injury on a check swing Saturday. ... The JetHawks on Friday snapped a streak of eight consecutive Northern Division road losses..

Gideon Rubin, [phone]

gideon.rubin(at)dailynews.com