By: by Jason Hanes
KENNESAW, Ga. - Ronnie Freeman had a season-high three hits and an RBI, but an inside the park home run in the top of the seventh proved to be enough for Samford, as the visiting Bulldogs defeated Kennesaw State, 5-3, in baseball action at Stillwell Stadium.
A tight contest throughout, the game was tied at 2-all entering the seventh. With two men on and two out, Mason Meredeth hit a high fly ball deep into right center field. Owls center fielder Bucky Smith ran a long distance for the ball and nearly made the catch; however, the ball popped out of Smith's glove and Smith rammed into the wall, falling on top of the ball in the process. The junior still had the wherewithal to flip the ball to right fielder Josh Whitaker, but by then, the relay throw to the plate bounced away, giving Samford the crucial three-run home run.
"I think it was a hit, though I know Bucky would tell you it was an error," Kennesaw State head coach Mike Sansing said. "He had a long way to run for the ball and it would have been a tough play to make."
Still, the Owls had chances and in fact cut the lead back to two in the bottom of the inning as Drew Fowlkes singled into left center, scoring Sean McClurken. With the tying runs on base though, the Owls were unable to get another run across the plate. The Owls were able to get the tying run to the plate in the ninth, but the door was closed by Samford's Lex Rutledge, as the hurler earned his third save of the year.
On a blustery day with the wind blowing straight in from left for most of the contest, Samford was able to get two runs on the board early as a two-run homer in the second by Tripp Swann gave the visitors a 2-0 lead. KSU rallied back with a run in the bottom of the inning, as Ray Anderson came home to score on Freeman's single to right.
The score stayed the same until the fifth inning when the Owls took a gamble with two men out. With Fowlkes on first and McClurken on third, Coach Sansing sent Fowlkes in motion on a delayed steal. When the throw went down to second, McClurken raced towards the plate, sliding in a second before Fowlkes was tagged out going back to first. The inning ended when Fowlkes was tagged, but not before the tying run went on the board.
Zak Griffith (0-1) took the loss for KSU, allowing two runs in 1.1 innings of action. Brayan Blough went 5.1 solid innings for the Owls, giving up just two runs on six hits.
Andrew Jones (1-1) earned the win for Samford, going 5.1 innings of relief after starting pitcher Andrew Strauss left an inning after getting drilled in the right leg on a line drive back to the mound.
The Owls will return to action Tuesday when they take on UAB in Birmingham, Ala. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. CST.
