Box Score (XML) I
Box Score (PDF)
KENNESAW, Ga. – After a crucial error in the top of the ninth that allowed the go ahead run for Radford, the Kennesaw State baseball team dropped their third game of the weekend, losing 3-2 to the Highlanders to fall to 4-3 on the season.
“We just weren’t able to get balls to drop when we needed them,” head coach
Mike Sansing said. “We got good barrel on the ball, but Radford played outstanding defense all three games and we could not manufacture runs.”
The Owls had to battle from behind on Sunday after a two-run first inning gave Radford the early lead. RU opened the game with back-to-back singles before a bases clearing double by Jeff Kemp put the Highlanders up 2-0.
KSU got one run back in the bottom of the fourth inning when
Max Pentecost reached on a double and later scored after an error by the Highlander’s second baseman Josh Gardiner.
The second run came in the fifth inning when
Anthony Duran opened the frame with a single. Swiping second and moving into scoring position, Duran would knot the game up at 2-2 after scoring on a
Bo Way single up the middle.
Jordan Hillyer would give relief to Owls starter
Will Solomon who threw five innings, allowing five hits and one earned run. Hillyer would pick right up where he left off, striking out the first batter he faced and getting the ensuing batters to fly and ground out. The freshman righty would throw 1.2 innings of scoreless baseball to extend his hitless streak to 3.2 innings while collecting six strikeouts.
Travis Bergen would polish of RU in the seventh before giving way to
Justin McCalvin in the eighth. Striking out the first batter he faced, McCalvin walked the following batter before Pentecost erased the runner on a strike him out, throw him out to get Kennesaw out of the inning.
McCalvin headed back out in the ninth inning, recording the first two outs of the frame with ease before the Highlanders started their two out rally. Josh Reavis reached on a single up the middle and then stole second to put the go ahead runner in scoring position. On a 1-2 pitch, Nygeal Andrews hit a slow roller that founds its way under the glove of shortstop Kal Simmons and allowed Reavis to score from second and give Radford a 3-2 lead.
The Owls would fail to capitalize on a ninth inning single by
Kody Belcher, dropping their third contest in a row and falling to 4-3 overall on the season.
McCalvin was credited with the tough luck loss, as Radford’s reliever Daniel Bridgeman earned the win and Michael Costello received the save.
Kennesaw State will look to regroup when they travel to Auburn, Ala., on Tuesday to face SEC affiliate Auburn. The midweek matchup is slated for 4p.m. E.T. Plainsman Park. Keep up with Owls baseball all season by following KSU on Twitter
@KSUOwlNation and
@KSUOwlsBaseball, or by liking Kennesaw State Owls on Facebook.
Kennesaw State University is celebrating 30 years of intercollegiate athletics during the 2012-13 academic year.
