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KENNESAW, Ga. – In an Atlantic Sun Conference series that was expected to feature outstanding starting pitching, Game 2 between visiting Florida Gulf Coast and Kennesaw State lived up to that billing at Stillwell Stadium on Saturday.
The Owls’ Travis Dean and Michael Murray of the Eagles started for their respective teams and each pitched into the seventh inning in a game that was eventually won by Florida Gulf Coast, 5-3.
Each starter went 6.2 innings and allowed seven hits. However, Dean had to work much harder in limiting the Eagles (19-8, 5-3) to just two runs. The Owls’ right hander retired the Florida Gulf Coast lineup in order in just one inning and had to pitch out of jams in every other frame as the Eagles put a runner in scoring position in every inning except the third.
Meanwhile, Murray (4-1) was working through Kennesaw State’s order using an economy of pitches, surrendering one run and striking out a batter while not allowing a walk. That was in contrast to Dean (3-5), who walked two and hit five batters.
However, Dean was able to come up with the big pitch to avoid further while frustrating the Eagles. Through the first six innings, FGCU left 10 runners on base and finished the game with 17 runners stranded.
After the Owls tied the score 1-1 in the bottom half of the fifth inning on a sacrifice fly by
Brennan Morgan, Florida Gulf Coast reclaimed the lead in the sixth following a one-out single by Alex Diaz, who stole second and scored on a single by Tyler Selesky.
The Eagles increased their lead to 5-1 in the eighth inning, scoring three times against Kennesaw State reliever
Justin McCalvin, who relieved Dean in the seventh and worked out of a two-out bases loaded jam.
Senior second baseman
Andy Almonte got one of those runs back in the bottom half of the eighth after leading off the inning with a home run over the right-center field fence to cut the deficit to 5-2. It was Almonte’s first home run of the season.
The Owls rallied in the bottom of the ninth as they scored one run and brought the tying run to plate. However, Danny Patrick worked out of trouble to preserve the win and help Florida Gulf Coast even the series at a game apiece.
The two teams conclude the series on Sunday as the Owls will be seeking their first-ever series win against the Eagles, and three third straight series win. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Stillwell Stadium.
Kennesaw State University is celebrating 30 years of intercollegiate athletics during the 2012-13 academic year.
