By: KSU Sports Information
Box Score
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Kennesaw State baseball team dropped the three game series with the University of Memphis after an 8-4 loss on Sunday at FedEx Field. After taking game one of the series, the Owls lost two in a row to the Tigers as they return home to face Georgia Tech.
For the third straight game Memphis struck first in the bottom of the first inning as Eli Hynes hit a three-run home run to right field to drive in Ethan Gross and Adam McClain. After both Gross and McClain opened the inning with back-to-back singles, Hynes connected with the first pitch he saw from senior Alan Buesnitz to give the Tigers a 3-0 lead.
The Black and Gold would get their first run in the top of the third inning as Chris McGowan hit his first collegiate home run to bring the Owls within two. Memphis would get that run back in the fourth inning after and RBI double off the bat of Zack Willis.
The Owls added a run in the fifth to cut the lead in half as Max Pentecost hit his third double of the season down the left field line that plated McGowan who singled the at-bat prior.
In the sixth inning, the Tigers answered with three runs to jump out to a 7-2 lead. Able to once again cut into the deficit in the eighth inning, Pentecost opened the frame with a triple and later came home on an Andy Almonte ground out. Scoring one more run in the ninth inning on a Will Howard sacrifice fly that plated Andy Chriscaden, the Owls fell short, losing 8-4.
Buesnitz took the loss pitching 5.2 innings, surrendering six runs on nine hits, while Sam Moll got the win after tossing six innings and allowing only two runs on four hits.
Kennesaw will return home as they get set for a matchup versus the No. 11 ranked Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Russ Chandler Stadium on Wednesday, Feb. 29 at 4:00 p.m. E.T. The last time these two schools met, KSU won 7-6 after the Owls scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to beat the No. 8-ranked Yellow Jackets at Stillwell Stadium.
