GAME 1 BOX SCORE (XML) |
GAME 1 BOX SCORE (PDF)
GAME 2 BOX SCORE (XML) |
GAME 2 BOX SCORE (PDF)
KENNESAW, Ga. – There is the old baseball adage that if you keep making solid contact, eventually balls are going to drop and you will score runs.
Unfortunately for Kennesaw State, that did not happen against Radford on Saturday as the Owls lost both ends of a doubleheader, falling 5-3 in the opener and 4-2 in the nightcap.
Kennesaw State (4-2) continually made solid contact, totaling 17 hits but was unable to produce the clutch hit.
The Owls did have some big hits as senior second baseman
Andy Almonte (Moca, Puerto Rico / East Paulding HS / Gordon College) had a two-out, two-run opposite field double in the first inning of the first game and sophomore right fielder
Chris McGowan (Lawrenceville, Ga. / Collins Hill HS) hit an eighth-inning lead off home run to pull Kennesaw State within a run at 4-3.
Radford left-hander Michael Boyle (1-0) held the Owls scoreless through five innings of Game 2 before junior center fielder
Bo Way (Brunswick, Ga. / Glynn Academy) opened the sixth with a triple down the right field line and scored on an infield out, cutting the Highlanders (4-1) lead to 4-1.
Freshman infielder
Kal Simmons (Nashville, Ga. / Berrien HS) led off the seventh with a double to left field, advanced to third when sophomore left fielder
Jacob Bruce (Woodstock, Ga. / Woodstock HS) reached on an error, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Way that brought Kennesaw State to within 4-2.
Radford forced the Owls to play catch-up from the outset, scoring three times in the first inning against senior left-hander
Kevin Kyle (Atlanta, Ga. / Holy Innocents HS / Georgia Perimeter), as the Highlanders’ first three batters reached base and came around to score. Jeff Kemp made it 4-0 with a one-out home run off the right field foul pole in the third inning.
In five innings of work, Kyle allowed five hits, four runs, walked one and struck out four. The Owls’ starter, along with sophomore
Nathan Harsh and junior left-hander
Kevin McCoy (Gainesville, Fla. / Gainesville HS / Andrew College) combined for 12 strikeouts. McCoy finished up by striking out four in a row and five of the seven batters he faced.
Boyle earned the win for Radford after tossing 5 2/3 innings, allowing five hits, walking two and striking out six.
In the opener, the Highlanders rallied from a 2-1 deficit, plating a pair of runs in the third inning against junior right-hander
Travis Dean (Boston, Mass. / Newton South HS) and adding single runs in the seventh and ninth innings against the Owls’ bullpen.
In 4 2/3 innings, Dean (1-1) allowed five hits, four runs (three earned), walked two and struck out five.
Kennesaw State and Radford wrap-up their three-game series on Sunday (Feb. 24) with a 1 p.m. contest at Stillwell Stadium.
Kennesaw State is celebrating 30 years of intercollegiate athletics during the 2012-13 academic year.
