By: KSU Sports Information
MACON, Ga. – After a rain delay of one hour and having the game suspended in the eighth inning after tornado warnings blanketed the local area, Saturday's originally suspended game between Kennesaw State and Mercer was declared a, 6-4, Bears victory as inclement weather and poor field conditions prevented resumption of the game.
Kennesaw State (15-11, 8-3 A-Sun) scored twice in the second inning on a RBI-double by Bucky Smith and a run-scoring single by Will Howard. Mercer answered with a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the inning as an error by Bryan Blough led to a pair of runs. The Owls pitcher bobbled a bunt down the third base line and then overthrew Sean McClurken who was covering first base. The errant throw scored the Bears first run and lead to a sacrifice fly by D.J. Johnson to tie the game.
Andy Chriscaden continued his scorching season as he gave the Owls a 4-2 lead with a two-run home run over the left field fence in the top of the third inning. Aaron Dobbs was hit by a pitch before Chriscaden launched a two-out screamer for his fifth home run of the year while increasing his team-leading RBI total to 30 in 26 games.
Mercer (19-9, 5-6 A-Sun) took the lead in the fourth inning when John Moreland walked, Evan Boyd was hit by a pitch and Billy Burns reached on an infield single to load the bases. A catcher’s interference call on Ronnie Freeman cut the Kennesaw State lead to one run, and ground ball to first base resulted in a fielder’s choice which tied the game at four. Joe Winker gave the Bears the lead with a single to right field.
The Bears added a run in the fifth and one more in the eighth as they snapped their five-game conference losing streak while handing the Owls their first loss in six A-Sun contests. The Owls threatened in the top of the seventh inning as they put runners on second and third with one out, but Mercer's Russell Moses retired pinch-hitter Chris Wages on strikes before getting Bucky Smith to fly out to right field.
The Owls and the Bears will conclude their three-game series on Sunday afternoon from Claude Smith Field. First-pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. and can be followed via live stats.
