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Cullowhee, N.C. – The Kennesaw State baseball program dropped a back-and-forth, midweek battle to Western Carolina University Wednesday (March 18) evening, 5-4. It marked the fourth one-run game between the Owls and Catamounts in their 16th all-time meeting –and first one-run game since 2006. KSU moved to 9-10 overall on the season, while Western Carolina improved to 8-9.  
 
The two teams totaled three lead changes and one tie over the course of nine innings, as 11 different arms were showcased between the two clubs throughout the game –including six different arms for the Owls in the front end of the home-and-home midweek series.
 
The Catamounts struck first with a solo home run in the top of the first inning and added another run in the bottom of the fourth inning to take a quick 2-0 lead. But, Kennesaw State came back with three runs in the top half of the fifth inning to take 3-2 lead.
 
Colin Bennett, who finished the day 2-for-2 with a run scored, led off the fifth with a single to left field. Bennett, who also doubled in his first at bat, scored Kennesaw State's first run off freshman Griffin Helms' RBI triple, bringing Bennett home from first base to cut the lead in half.
 
Helms, who made his second start behind the dish, finished the day 2-for-4 with an RBI. It was the freshman's second multi-hit game of the season, with the first coming against Mercer on February 18.
 
The inning continued for the Owls when Justin Motley grounded out to second base, plating Helms from third base to tie the game at 2-2. Corey Greeson, who made his sixth start of the season, followed by doubling to right center field and eventually crossed home plate from a defensive error to take a one-run lead.
 
The inning set the stage for a back-and-forth battle for the remainder of the game, as the two teams scattered 10 hits and four runs over the final four frames.
 
After Western Carolina tied the game at 3-3 with a run in the bottom of the fifth, Kennesaw State got out of a key seventh inning with the Catamounts threatening to take the lead late in the game. Relievers Benjamin Bancroft and Will Lowman recorded back-to-back strikeouts with runners on second and third to keep the game deadlocked at 3-3.
 
Bancroft and Lowman's key relief work pitched a scoreless seventh, not allowing a hit and no runs to keep the game tied. The appearance was the first for Bancroft this season, striking out the only batter he faced in a key matchup with now outs in the frame.
 
The momentum carried to the top half of the eighth, as two wild pitches from the Catamounts pitchers allowed Simmons –who led off the inning with a walk—to cross home plate, giving Kennesaw State a 4-3 edge.
 
However, Western Carolina plated the final two runs in the bottom half of the eighth to secure the its ninth win of the season.
 
Tony Dibrell made his first collegiate start on the mound, scattering four hits in 3.2 innings of work. He allowed two runs, with one earned throughout his time on the hill. Mason Ward, Jordan Versteeg and Nathan Harsh all made appearances for the Owls throughout the game.
 
Kennesaw State will return home for a three-game series against William & Mary on March 20-22. The Owls will begin the weekend with a 6 p.m. affair on Friday, before taking on the Tribe at 2 p.m. on Saturday and concluding the series with a 1 p.m. game Sunday afternoon.
 
Season tickets are currently on sale for the full 29-game home schedule at $39 per ticket. Single-game tickets are also available at $6 for adults and $4 for youth (ages 3-12). Group tickets for 10 or more people are available for advanced purchase, excluding the Georgia (Feb. 17), Georgia Tech (Mar. 17) and Georgia Southern (Mar. 24) games when individual tickets will be $10 for adults and $6 for youth. To order season tickets click here, or contact the KSU Athletic Ticket Office at 470-578-OWLS (6957).
 
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.