By: by Jason Hanes
BUIES CREEK, N.C. - Five runs crossed the plate in the seventh inning for Kennesaw State, but the Owls needed three more as the Owls fell, 9-6, to Campbell on Saturday evening in the final game of an Atlantic Sun Conference doubleheader at Taylor Field.
Sean McClurken opened the scoring in the contest with a sacrifice fly in the second, scoring Clint Roques to put the Owls (9-12, 1-2) on top. The Camels would tie the game in the bottom half of the inning, then take the lead for good with two runs in the third and three runs in the fourth against KSU starting pitcher Bryan Blough.
Campbell (14-7, 3-3) made the score 9-1 in the sixth with three runs against reliever Kelly Holt. Zak Griffith would enter in relief and shut down the Camels the rest of the way, as KSU tried to rally in the seventh.
With the bases loaded in the seventh, Jordan Craft delivered a two-run single to plate Clint Roques and Ross Tendler. After a ground out, Peyton Hart drove in a pair with a single to center, scoring Brandon Brown and Craft to pull the Owls within four. Two batters later, Ronnie Freeman's single through the left side plated Hart with the final run of the inning.
That would be as close as the Owls got as the Owls would get the tying run to the plate in the eighth inning but couldn't get anyone home.
Blough (1-2) took the loss after allowing six runs - five earned - in 3.1 innings of work.
KSU will be back in action Tuesday afternoon at Stillwell Stadium against UAB. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.
