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KENNESAW, Ga. – Kennesaw State starting pitcher
Stephen Janas made it seven-in-a-row as the junior led the Owls past USC Upstate 4-2 during the Friday night series opener at Stillwell Stadium.
Janas (Marietta, Ga./Lassiter HS) put in six innings of work from the hill allowing just one earned run and striking out six, giving way to
Justin McCalvin (Leesburg, Ga./Lee County HS) who tossed two hitless innings, setting up closer
James Connell (Roswell, Ga./Georgia Perimeter College) who made it back-to-back games with a save as the Owls picked up the win.
Kennesaw State moves back to .500 in the Atlantic Sun Conference with the victory over the Spartans at 11-11 while bumping the overall record to 24-25 and keeping Janas’ record perfect at 8-0.
After falling behind to Upstate (25-23, 8-14 A-Sun) 1-0 in the first, the Owls took over in the third, scoring three runs, two alone from a
Chris McGowan (Lawrenceville, Ga./Collins Hill HS) two RBI double down the left field line.
Max Pentecost (Winder, Ga./Winder-Barrow HS) then knocked a sacrifice fly to center field for the 3-1 KSU lead.
In the sixth, McGowan produced one more, singling then stealing second before being driven home by senior
Peyton Hart (Sandy Cross, Ga./Franklin County HS) as KSU took the 4-1 advantage.
Upstate tacked on one run in the seventh, unearned, before McCalvin and Connell tagged up to close down the Spartans, 4-2, the seventh straight Friday night A-Sun win for the Owls.
Offensively, KSU made it back-to-back 11-hit games, bringing the team batting average up to .281 after multi-hit games from
Kal Simmons (Nashville, Ga./Berrien HS),
Bo Way (Brunswick, Ga./Glynn Academy),
Alex Liquori (Brooks, Ga./Whitewater HS) and McGowan.
Simmons was tops for both teams with his three hits, all singles, while Way made it three consecutive games with two or more hits. McGowan sent home two runs on his two hits while Liquori scored a run.
The Owls also stole two bases during the win, one each from McGowan and Hart.
The two teams will play game two of the series tomorrow, May 11, with a 2 p.m. ET scheduled start. Senior Day presentations will take place 15-minutes prior to first pitch for five KSU players including starting pitcher
Kevin Kyle (Atlanta, Ga./Georgia Perimeter College).
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.
Around the A-Sun
East Tennessee State 1, Mercer 0
Jacksonville 6, Lipscomb 2
