By: KSU Sports Information
Game 1 Box |
Game 2 Box
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Ronnie Freeman homered twice and drove in five runs in the opener, Andy Chriscaden homered and drove in six runs in the nightcap while Aaron Dobbs had eight hits on the day as Kennesaw State swept North Florida, 9-3 and 13-12, to clinch a berth in the Atlantic Sun Conference tournament on Sunday afternoon at Dusty Rhodes Field at Harmon Stadium.
In addition to the Owls (30-21, 16-10 A-Sun) clinching their first-ever NCAA Division I postseason berth and winning their fourth consecutive game, the Black and Gold eliminated North Florida (25-25, 13-17 A-Sun) from postseason contention as they swept the three-game series in dominating fashion.
The Owls officially made it to their first Atlantic Sun Conference tournament when Belmont defeated Florida Gulf Coast, 4-3, in Nashville. With three games remaining, Kennesaw State (currently with 10 losses) can finish with no more than 13 losses in conference. North Florida and FGCU each have more than 13 defeats; thusly Kennesaw State will finish in the top six in the conference.
Dobbs had a monster day for the Owls, going 4-for-4 in the opener with two doubles and three runs scored. In the second game, Dobbs doubled three times, tying the Kennesaw State single game record, and added a single as he finished the day 8-for-9 with five doubles and a walk.
Freeman went 3-for-3 in the first game with a pair of home runs and drove in five runs. In the nightcap, he raised his RBI total to 46 as he drove in two more runs. Chriscaden drove in two runs in the opener and knocked in six runs in the nightcap as he raised his RBI total to 70 on the year.
The Kennesaw State offense scorched North Florida pitching over the weekend, scoring 32 runs while ripping 42 hits (14 in each game) for their most potent series of the season. The Owls scored multiple runs in 10 innings and had 15 extra-base hits as they swept a conference series for the third time this season.
J.B. Johnson pitched in both ends of the doubleheader and earned his seventh save of the season as he recorded a four-out save in the nightcap. Johnson pitched two and one-third innings of hitless relief as he saved the win for Steve Janas.
Bryan Blough (4-3) earned the win in the opener, going six innings and allowing two runs on six hits. Jordan Dean, Jeff Brown and Johnson combined for the victory. In the nightcap, Zac Griffith lasted just one and two-third innings before a bevy of relievers held off the feisty Ospreys. Catlan Kendrick pitched two and one-third innings and was followed by Alan Busenitz and Andrew Austin.
Kennesaw State will be back in action on Tuesday evening when they visit the University of Georgia in its final non-conference game of the year. The Owls will conclude the regular season with a three-game series against Jacksonville at Stillwell Stadium beginning on Thursday evening at 6:00 p.m.
