By: by Jason Hanes
LAS VEGAS - Kennesaw State jumped out to a 4-0 lead but couldn't hold on, falling 10-4 to Southern Utah in the finale of a three-game series.
With the series shifted to Las Vegas due to snowy conditions in Cedar City, Utah, the Owls and Thunderbirds played at their third different high school in two days. This contest, played at Green Valley High, saw the Owls take advantage of a SUU error to score two runs in the opening inning as Tyler Stubblefield and Josh Whitaker scored when Ronnie Freeman reached on an error by the SUU right fielder.
Sean McClurken came through to put KSU up 3-0 when his single up the middle in the second scored Bucky Smith. Two innings later, Peyton Hart scored on a wild pitch to move ahead by four.
Southern Utah would answer with 10 straight runs, starting with a single run in the fourth off a passed ball. In the sixth, a two-run double and a run-scoring double play allowed the Thunderbirds (1-10) to tie the game.
After a single, an error, a balk, and a sacrifice fly resulted in a 5-4 lead for SUU after seven innings, the flood gates opened in the eighth on KSU (7-9) as the Thunderbirds scored five times. A two-run single by Taylor Shaw and a two-run triple by Bo Cuthbertson proved to be the big hits that doomed the Owls.
For the second straight outing, Micah Sales was solid for KSU. After keeping Tennessee scoreless in four innings of work last Sunday, Sales allowed just one unearned run in five innings against SUU Saturday. Jeff Brown (0-1) was saddled with the loss after allowing four runs (three earned) in two innings of relief.
The Owls will return home to face a pair of in-state rivals this week at Stillwell Stadium. KSU faces Georgia Southern at 5 p.m. this Tuesday while Georgia State will visit for a 6 p.m. contest Wednesday.
