By: KSU Sports Information
Live Stats I
Box Score
FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Kennesaw State baseball team dropped the series opener against Florida Gulf Coast on Friday night as Eagles starter Ricky Knapp pitched a two run complete game to pick up the win 5-2.
The Owls offense was slow to get started as they saved all the drama for the last inning of play. Finding themselves down early, the Black and Gold would spend all of Friday’s game trying to get even with the Eagles.
FGCU jumped out to the early lead in the bottom of the fourth inning with three runs. Opening the frame with a lead off single by Ryan Gebhart, the Eagles would bunt him over to second before Sean Dwyer roped an RBI double. FGCU would tally three more singles in the inning and two more runs to take a 3-0 advantage.
The Eagles would score two more runs in the seventh inning to jump out to a 5-0 lead and would hold the Owls scoreless until the ninth. In their last opportunity to make it a game, KSU would load the bases with no outs.
Will Howard would make the first out of the inning on a short pop up to third. Max Pentecost hit into a 6-4 fielders choice to score the Owls first run, but left the squad with just one out to make another unbelievable comeback. Chris McGowan would step to that plate and do his part as he singled up the middle to make it a 5-2 game, but that’s where the comeback would end as Knapp induced a ground ball from Jacob Bruce to end the game.
The 5-2 defeat is the first Friday night loss the Owls have suffered since opening day on Feb. 17. Starter Josh Carr picks up the loss and moves to 8-2 on the season after throwing eight innings and allowing five runs on six hits.
Game two of the series is slated for 2 p.m. on Saturday, as Kevin Kyle (0-3, 4.00) will match-up with Jason Forjet (0-4, 3.41). For updates throughout the game, you can follow the team on Twitter @KSUOwlsBaseball.
