By: KSU Sports Information Department
After winning the first four games of the season, the Owls traveled to Alabama for their first road game of the year and things got off to a bumpy start. After a decent showing by starter Sean Fream, freshman Steve Janas was roughed up in his first college appearance and the Owls found themselves trailing, 6-2, headed into the seventh inning.
“I remember it was early in the season and we were still trying to get a feel for what kind of team we had,” said head coach Mike Sansing. “We had won four in a row, but it was our first road trip and Jacksonville State always has a solid team.”
Jacksonville State relief pitcher Tanner Freshour cruised through two and two-third scoreless innings before Taylor Parks began the seventh. The Owls wasted no time, as Drew Fowlkes led off the inning with a double down the left field line and scored on an Ethan Herron groundout.
“Their two pitchers did a good job of holding us down and I was a bit surprised they went with a new arm in the seventh,” added Sansing. “Chris McGowan, I recall, was starting in right field and had two doubles. Being a true freshman we were all impressed with his strong start.”
Sean McClurken pinch-hit for Ray Anderson to lead off the eighth inning and doubled to left-center field, one of eight extra-base hits for the Owls in the game. Aaron Dobbs, who would be a bigger hero later in the game, followed with an infield single to put runners on the corners. A Ronnie Freeman groundout and Andy Chriscaden's run scoring single brought the Owls to within a run going into the ninth inning.
Already having scored three unanswered runs, Catlan Kendrick, Devin Dunson and J.B. Johnson were in the midst of shutting down the Gamecocks offense. Johnson had retired the final two batters of the eighth inning and was waiting to see if the Owls could tie the game in the ninth.
The drama heightened quickly when Peyton Hart led off with a single to left field. Herron’s sacrifice was aided when Jacksonville State pitcher Todd Hornsby misplayed the bunt to put runners on first and second. After a fielder’s choice, a walk to Sean McClurken loaded the bases before Dobbs came through with another key hit.
Batting left-handed, the Owls switch-hitter ripped a double to right field, scoring Hart and Will Howard and giving Kennesaw State its first lead, 7-6, since the top of the first inning. Freeman would add a sacrifice fly before Dobbs secured the scoring by stealing home.
“It was in the eighth that we became aware of the energy level in the dugout,” added Sansing. “The confidence that we were showing, even though we were trailing at the time, was something that caught the coaching staff’s attention and it was something that obviously carried us through the game, but stayed with us all season.”
Johnson would earn the save as Jacksonville State put runners on base via an error and walk, but the right-handed fireballer would strikeout two batters before getting Eric Underwood to ground to third, concluding the Owls second ninth inning win in six days.
