By: KSU Sports Information
Game 1 Box Game 2 Box
KENNESAW, Ga. – Kennesaw State lost a two-run lead in the top of the ninth inning, but rallied to score a run in the bottom of the ninth inning to defeat USC Upstate, 4-3, in the first game of Saturday afternoon’s doubleheader at Stillwell Stadium. The Owls dropped the nightcap, 13-9, as they took the three-game series from the Spartans.
The Owls (26-21, 13-10 A-Sun) rallied in the ninth when Sean McClurken (2-for-3) led off with an opposite field single to right field and Bucky Smith followed with a walk. Jordan Craft then put down a perfect sacrifice bunt that was fielded cleanly by USC Upstate third baseman Brandon Millhouse. However, his throw sailed over the first baseman’s head scoring McClurken with the game-winning run.
Bryan Blough looked dominant for eight innings as the Owls took a 3-1 lead into the final frame. However, Austin Liput led off the ninth inning with a solo home run over the right field fence to trim the Owls lead to 3-2. Luke Weber followed with a double that ended Blough’s afternoon and entered J.B. Johnson.
After a walk and a sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third, Tyler Cook grounded to first base where Andy Chriscaden fielded the slow roller, but took the out at first as Weber scored the tying run.
Trailing 1-0, Chriscaden (2-for-4) provided the Owls first run of the game in the second inning when he launched his 13th home run of the season over the right field fence to tie the game. The Owls would take the lead with a solo run in the fifth inning on an Aaron Dobbs single. Ethan Herron made the score, 3-1, with an RBI-double in the sixth inning.
In the second game, USC Upstate (15-32, 8-14 A-Sun) pounded out 20 hits and scored double-digit runs in four innings to salvage the final game of the series.
Kennesaw State starter Zac Griffith (7-3) struggled, and did not get out of the second inning as Upstate scored four runs in the first and added two more in the second to build a, 6-1, lead. The southpaw allowed eight hits and six runs (four earned), before giving way to Sean Fream with one out in the second inning.
After falling behind 12-2 headed into the bottom of the sixth inning, the Owls mounted a rally, scoring seven unanswered runs. A four-run sixth inning was highlighted by a three-run Bucky Smith home run, his first of the season, and Jordan Craft added a three-run shot in the seventh inning to cut the USC Upstate lead to 12-9.
Tyler Miller had four hits to lead USC Upstate, who had six players with multi-hit games. Trey Richardson, Grason Wiggins and Branden Millhouse all had three hits as the Spartans had their highest hit total in two years.
Craft, Dobbs, Peyton Hart and Ronnie Freeman each had two hits for the Owls. Kennesaw State threw six pitchers in the nightcap. Jeff Brown and Fream each threw two and one-third innings while Alan Busenitz, who entered the game in the eighth inning, tossed an inning and two-thirds of scoreless relief.
Prior to the game, Ronnie Freeman was honored for his KSU record 42-game hitting streak. Former Kennesaw State All-American and Texas Rangers outfielder, Jason Jones, along with head coach Mike Sansing and Athletics Director Vaughn Williams honored Freeman during the ceremony.
Jones previously held the Owls record with a 41-game hitting streak. Kennesaw State is the only program in the history of the NCAA, at any level, to have two players with hitting streaks of longer than 40 games.
The Owls will be back in action on Wednesday evening when they travel to Cullowhee, N.C. to play Western Carolina. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.
