By: KSU Sports Information
Box Score
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Kennesaw State baseball team continued their success against Alabama State on Wednesday night with a 14-2 win over the Hornets at Wheeler-Watkins Park.
The Owls got on the board quickly as they scored six runs on five hits in the second inning. Andy Chriscaden singled to left field to open the inning and advanced into scoring position on an error by the pitcher. On the ensuing batter, Will Howard belted an RBI single to right field to bring Chriscaden home for the games first run.
Chris McGowan then singled to right to plate Howard and later scored himself on an error by the third baseman that allowed Max Pentecost to reach base safely. Andy Almonte singled to right field to load the bases for Aaron Dobbs, and after an RBI fielders choice off the bat of Dobbs, Ronnie Freeman looped a two RBI single into right field to give the Black and Gold a 6-0 advantage.
The 6-0 lead would be all freshman Colton Cross would need as the Ringold, Ga., native pitched six innings allowing only two runs on three hits while recording seven strikeouts. The two runs allowed would be all that the Hornets would get as the Owls continued to pour it on, scoring five runs in the fourth inning.
Freeman, who registered his first hit of the 2012 season in the second inning, unleashed a three run homer in the fourth to tally his fifth RBI of the game. Followed by a Chriscaden solo bomb, the Owls went back-to-back to take a 9-1 lead. The Hornets would get their second run in the sixth inning as Waldyvan Estrada's double to deep right center scored Manny Rodriguez, but it would be futile as the Black and Gold would stack up five more runs in the contest including a Kody Belcher homerun. Belcher, who had just substituted into the game to pinch-hit for McGowan, connected to hit a bomb in his first ever collegiate at bat to propel the squad to a 14-2 victory and a 9-0 overall mark versus the Hornets.
The Owls will return to action on Friday when they travel to Memphis, Tenn., to take on the Tigers of the University of Memphis for a three game series. Last year the two schools meet in the second home stand of the season at Stillwell Stadium with the Tigers taking two of three from the home team. Following the Memphis series the squad will return to Georgia, to face the No. 11 ranked Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on Feb. 29.
