THE BASICS
Records: Kennesaw State (1-2), Marshall (1-2)
Score: Kennesaw State 4, Marshall 7
Starting Pitching Matchup: LHP Patrick Murphy vs. RHP Gabe Friese
Key Players:  Grant Williams (2-for-5); Chris Erwin (2-for-4, RBI); David Chabut (2-for-3); Brian Exley (1.2IP, 0R, 1K); Will Bice (1.2IP, 0R, 4K); Turner Watkins (1.0IP, 0R, 1K)
 
Box Score (PDF) | Box Score (XML)

THE STORYLINE: 
·  Kennesaw State baseball wrapped up its opening weekend on Sunday afternoon, dropping a 7-4 decision at Stillwell Stadium to visiting Marshall on the final day of the Atlanta Challenge.
· KSU relievers Brian Exley, Will Bice and Turner Watkins tossed a combined 3.2 scoreless innings, allowing two hits and struck out six batters, but Marshall scored four runs in the third and three more in the seventh to put the game out of reach.
· With the loss, KSU dropped to 1-2 after opening weekend, while Marshall improved to 1-2 on the young season.

HOW IT HAPPENED: 
·  The Owls jumped on the scoreboard quickly, plating two runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a 2-0 lead as Chris Erwin's infield single scored Austin Upshaw, while a throwing error allowed Forrest Bramlett to score from second base.
· But the Thundering Herd answered with a four runs on three hits in the top of the third to take a 4-2 advantage.
· Marshall's bats were slowed when Exley, a lefty out of Woodstock, Ga., came out of the pen and worked a scoreless 1.2 innings. Exley was perfect, allowing no hits and now runs while punching out a batter during his second outing of the season.
· The score remained true until the top of the seventh as the Thundering Herd scored three more runs to extend their lead to five at 7-2.
· Kennesaw State scored the final two runs of the ballgame, plating runs in the bottom halves of the seventh and ninth, but fell short leaving a total of eight runners on base.
· Bice and Watkins also saw appearances out of the pen and followed Exley's lead, working a combined 2.2 scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and struck out five.  
 
#NESTNOTES: 
·  Redshirt Freshman Nathan Dupree made his KSU collegiate debut Sunday afternoon and tossed a perfect sixth inning. He finished with a line of: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 2 K in his Black and Gold debut.
· Three Owls finished the weekend batting .500, as Jeremy Howell, Chris Erwin and Jake Franklin combined to go 12-for-24 with three doubles and six RBI.
· Kennesaw State finished the Atlanta Challenge outscoring its opponents 25-24 and out-hit opponents 35-29.
 
UP NEXT
The Owls return to Stillwell Stadium for a pair of mid-week tilts this week, hosting Georgia State on Tuesday evening before welcoming Savannah State to campus for two non-conference contests. The Owls and Panthers will kick off the week with a 5 p.m. start Tuesday, and will be streamed on ASUN.TV.