By: by Jason Hanes
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Freshman Ronnie Freeman hit his first home run as an Owl and drove in four runs on the day as the Kennesaw State baseball team defeated Binghamton, 10-7, at Lindsey Nelson Stadium on Friday afternoon.
Freeman put the Owls on top in the second inning, breaking a, 1-1, tie with a two-run homer to right center to give KSU a 3-1 lead. In the sixth, Freeman's double to right center scored Drew Fowlkes with what would prove to be the game-winning RBI. Two innings later, Freeman capped his four RBI day with a single through the left side to score Josh Whitaker with KSU's 10th run of the contest.
The Owls opened the scoring with a solo home run by Tyler Stubblefield, his third long ball of the season. Binghamton (0-4) tied the score an inning later, then scored two runs in the third off of KSU starter Ryan Rodebaugh to inch back into a tie. KSU plated two runs in the fourth as Stubblefield scored Bucky Smith with an RBI single and Whitaker plated Ross Tendler with an RBI fielder's choice.
Binghamton would chase Rodebaugh in the fourth after the starting hurler allowed three more runs across the plate, making the score, 6-5, in favor of the Bearcats. KSU rallied back with three unearned runs in the sixth to take the lead for good. After a one-out error allowed Stubblefield to reach first safely, Whitaker singled to left. That set the stage for Fowlkes, who singled home Stubblefield with the tying run, then advanced safely into second as Whitaker sped safely into third. Clint Roques would break the tie with an RBI ground out that plated Whitaker, and Fowlkes would come home one batter later on Freeman's double.
The Bearcats drew one run closer in the seventh, but KSU tacked two on the board in the eighth. With two men scoring position, Roques earned his second RBI of the day with a sacrifice fly to center. Freeman then ended the scoring with his single through the left side.
Binghamton made it interesting in the ninth, getting the tying run to the plate against KSU closer J.B. Johnson, but the junior earned his first save with KSU by getting a fielder's choice to end the contest.
Long earned his second win of the season for KSU with 3.2 innings of relief, allowing just one run. Zak Griffith pitched a scoreless eighth, with Johnson getting the final three outs in the ninth.
Stubblefield and Tendler each had three hits for the Owls, with Stubblefield scoring three runs as well. Every Owls starter had at least one hit, one RBI, or one run scored.
Peter Bregartner led Binghamton's office with a home run and three RBIs on the day. The Bearcats out-hit the Owls, 14-13, in the contest. Aaron Schuldt allowed three runs (none earned) in 1.1 inning of relief, to see his record fall to 0-1 on the season.
The Owls will be back in action Saturday at 1 p.m. against Tennessee.
