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KENNESAW, Ga. – The 1-2 punch of James Connell and Justin McCalvin sealed the deal for the Kennesaw State baseball team on Thursday night, the two closing the door on North Florida from the hill to give the Owls the 3-2 Atlantic Sun Conference series opening win.
 
Starting pitcher Jordan Hillyer got the Owls off to the good start, going 6.2 innings of work allowing just four hits with four strikeouts before Connell and McCalvin went the final two innings allowing just two hits. Hillyer earned his seventh win of the season while McCalvin extended his school record with his 12^th save of the season.
 
KSU makes it a 31-21 record while earning its 15^th conference win of the year at 15-9 while sinking the Ospreys to 22-27 on the season and 11-14 in league play.
 
Coming out of the gates it was KSU that broke a scoreless ballgame in the bottom of the third as Jacob Bruce was put on base via the UNF error. Max Pentecost then knocked Bruce over one bag before Bo Way shot an RBI single to left field, bringing in the run for a 1-0 Owls lead while extending the catcher's hit streak to an NCAA leading 33 games.
 
After Hillyer retired five straight UNF batters, the Owls' offense came through for their starting pitcher in the bottom of the sixth, scoring two runs on four hits to go up 3-0.
 
Pentecost took over the national lead in hits with his 92^nd to start off the inning followed by a Way double down the right field line to put runners on second and third. Chris McGowan then sent an RBI single through the left side followed by a Brennan Morgan base hit to pad the lead for KSU.
 
A sacrifice fly in the top of the seventh put the Ospreys on the board as Kyle Brooks sent a shot to the right field corner to break up the shutout, 3-1. A wild pitch from Will Solomon then made it a one-run game as Garrick Ferguson scampered home for UNF.
 
KSU went scoreless through the final three, but the Owls rallied behind the clutch relief pitching as they held onto the one-run win.
 
Pentecost and Way each had 2-hit nights for KSU, both scoring once with Way driving one in as well as knocking the only extra-base hit for KSU with his double. The multi-hit game for Pentecost was his 30^th game with more than one hit this season.
 
Game two of the three game series will take place on Friday, May 16, at 6 p.m. ET on Senior Night for three KSU players.

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.
  
 


 

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