THE BASICS
Records: Kennesaw State (6-5), Middle Tennessee (5-6)
Score: Kennesaw State 7, Middle Tennessee 9
Starting Pitching Matchup: RHP Reid Clements vs. RHP Gabe Friese
Key Players: Austin Upshaw (1-for-5, RBI); Chris Erwin (2-for-4, RBI); Taylor Allum (2-for-3, RBI); Griffin Helms (2-for-5)
 
Box Score (PDF) | Box Score (XML)

THE STORYLINE: 
·  Kennesaw State's early offense and a late-inning push was not enough Sunday afternoon, dropping a 9-7 decision at Reese Smith Jr. Field in the series finale to Middle Tennessee.
· The Owls totaled 10 hits and four runs over their first four innings, but Middle Tennessee scored seven unanswered in the fifth, sixth and seventh frames to push its largest lead to five –a lead the Owls could not overcome.
· With the loss, KSU dropped to 6-5 overall on the season and Middle Tennessee improved to 5-6.

HOW IT HAPPENED: 
· Kennesaw State's bats were still hot from yesterday's 19-run outburst early on, totaling 10 hits over its first four at-bats, putting four runs on the scoreboard to take the lead.
· The Owls' Austin Upshaw hit a solo home run in the first to jumpstart the offense, as Chris Erwin, Jeremy Howell and Grant Williams followed with RBI in the second and fourth innings, respectively, to grab a two-run advantage.
· RHP Gabe Friese limited the Blue Raiders offense throughout his start, allowing three runs on seven hits in 5.0 innings of work. Friese earned a no decision and left the game with a 4-3 lead in the sixth inning.
· Friese struck out two Blue Raider batters on the day and walked one, allowing single runs in the first, third and fifth to keep the lead intact and limit any big scoring frames during his outing.
· Middle Tennessee took advantage of eight walks issued by Kennesaw State pitchers and scored one in the fifth, four in the sixth and two more in the seventh to take a 9-4 lead into the eighth.
· A late eighth-inning push that brought eight Owls to the plate which scored three runs pulled Kennesaw State within 9-7. RBI walks from Howell and Allum and a wild pitch pulled the Owls within two, but could not overcome the deficit.
· Offensively, Chris Erwin (2-for-4, RBI), Taylor Allum (2-for-3, RBI), Griffin Helms (2-for-5) and Austin Upshaw (1-for-5, RBI) combined to go 7-for-17 (.411) and three RBI.
· Howell, a senior out of Dallas, Ga., also contributed at the plate going 1-for-3 and drove home two runs.
 
#NESTNOTES: 
· Austin Upshaw hit his fourth home run of the season in the first inning, marking his second long ball in three games. The junior has totaled at least one hit in nine of his 11 starts.
· Taylor Allum began the day 2-for-2 with back-to-back singles in the first and third, and has extend his hitting streak to five games. He has record at least one hit in eight of his 10 games, and has tallied four multi-hit games.
· The Owls totaled 10 or more hits in a single game for the seventh time this season, including four of their last six games.
· Gabe Friese moves 6.0 innings away from becoming KSU's all-time leader in program history for innings thrown. He also now sits four starts away from becoming the all-time leader in career starts.
· Grant Williams extended his hitting streak to six games with a bunt single in the fourth frame.
 
UP NEXT
Kennesaw State takes on ACC in-state foe Georgia Tech Tuesday evening at Stillwell Stadium. The Owls and Yellow Jackets will play on ESPN3 with a 5 p.m. start, before KSU travels to Auburn for its second midweek non-conference affair at Hitchcock Field Wednesday evening.