By: by Jason Hanes
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Josh Carr pitched 6.2 solid innings in his first start with Kennesaw State, propelling the Owls to a, 4-2, win over Tennessee Saturday afternoon at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
Carr allowed just one run in his effort, the longest outing for a KSU starting pitcher this season. The sophomore from Snellville, Ga., allowed just seven hits and three walks while striking out three and keeping the Volunteers off balance. The win, however, would go to J.B. Johnson, who came in during the seventh for Carr and allowed just one ninth inning run. Johnson now has a win and a save in KSU's first two games in Knoxville this weekend.
The Owls (3-7) took the lead after a two-out homer to left by Tyler Stubblefield gave the Owls a 1-0 lead in the third. The score stayed the same until the seventh when Tennessee scratched out a run against Carr on an RBI single by Zack Osborne, chasing KSU's starting hurler from the contest. Johnson would relieve Carr and get out of the inning further unscathed.
KSU took advantage of two Tennessee errors to take the lead in the eighth. After Josh Whitaker reached on an error with one out, Clint Roques reached base with Whitaker reaching third as the ball was misplayed at third base. With men on the corners and two men out, Drew Fowlkes singled into right, scoring Whitaker with the go-ahead run. One batter later, Ross Tendler doubled down the left field line to score Roques with what would prove to be the game-winning run.
After Tennessee was retired in order in the eighth, the Owls added an important insurance run in the ninth. With Stubblefield in scoring position after a one-out double, Roques lined a 2-2 offering from Rick Blount off of Blount's leg and through the hole in the right side for an RBI single, giving the Owls a 4-2 lead.
Johnson had to hold on in the ninth, withstanding the Tennessee rally. The first three batters of the inning reached for the Volunteers (4-5), with Charley Thurber driving in a run with an RBI single back up the middle. With runners on first and second, Johnson was able to get Osborne to ground into a fielder's choice, eliminating Thurber from the base paths for the first out. The Owls then went around the horn, getting pinch hitter Matt Hamaker to ground into a 5-4-3 double play to end the game.
The Owls earned a victory over their second different Southeastern Conference opponent in program history as KSU had previously defeated Georgia in Athens, Ga., on two different occasions. KSU out-hit Tennessee, 11-8 on the day.
KSU will be back in action in Knoxville Sunday afternoon for a pair of games, first facing Binghamton at noon before closing out play for the weekend against the Volunteers at 4 p.m.
