By: By Brandon Scardigli
BOX SCORE (XML) | BOX SCORE (PDF)FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Kennesaw State baseball team put the go-ahead run on the board in the top of the eight, but the Owls couldn't keep Florida Gulf Coast at bay in the ninth as the Eagles won in walk-off fashion, 4-3, on Saturday afternoon.
With the game evened up at 2-2 in the eighth, it was
Bo Way who came up with the lead-off double to get things going for the Owls. A costly error by the FGCU shortstop then sent in the go-ahead run in Way after a
Matt Bahnick groundball with two outs.
After the teams played a pair of three-up three-down half innings it was the Eagles who then came up with clutch hitting in the bottom of the last, Jake Noll starting things off with a single followed by a double from Colton Bottomley to put two in in scoring position.
An intentional walk loaded the bases with a free pass then issued to Andrew Valencia that sent in the tying run. Ryan O'Malley then shot a fly ball to center field that brought in the winning run on a sacrifice fly, ending the game at 4-3.
FGCU again scored first, going ahead 1-0 after the first inning of play. The Owls then took their first lead of the series in the third with three consecutive singles scoring
Jacob Bruce and
Max Pentecost, Pentecost extending his hit streak to 15 games while earning an RBI in the process.
With the Owls up 2-1 the Eagles put across the tying run in the fifth before the teams played scoreless ball until KSU grabbed the lead in the eighth.
With the one-run loss the Owls fall to 14-20 on the season and 2-9 in the Atlantic Sun Conference while the Eagles improve to 21-11 overall and 7-1 in the league standings, clinching the series as well with the win.
Way had the big offensive day for KSU, going 3-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run scored.
Kal Simmons,
Colin Bennett and Pentecost had the other hits for the Owls.
Justin McCalvin took the loss on the mound despite going 4.1 innings giving up just three hits and two runs, striking out five.
Travis Bergen got the no decision after going the first 4.1 innings allowing two runs on seven hits with a pair of strikeouts.
The two teams will play game three of the series on Sunday, April 6, at 1 p.m. ET with
Nathan Harsh on the hill for the Owls.
To keep up with the latest Kennesaw State baseball news, follow the team on Twitter
@KSUOwlNation and
@KSUOwlsBaseball or by liking Kennesaw State University on
Facebook.
For more information on how to purchase tickets, please call the KSU ticket office at 770-423-6957, or by visiting
KSUOwls.com/tickets.
-#GoKSUOwls-
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