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Kennesaw, Ga. – The Kennesaw State baseball team backed solid bullpen work with nine runs on 10 hits to defeat Western Carolina on Tuesday (March 31) evening at Stillwell Stadium, 9-2. It marked the second game of the home-and-home series between the Owls (15-13) and the Catamounts (12-13), concluding the regular-season series.

Kennesaw State's bullpen tossed four strong innings, allowing just two hits and no runs while striking out eight Catamount batters. Kendall Hawkins, Mason Ward, Tony Dibrell and Will Lowman all come out of the bullpen to close the door in Tuesday's midweek showdown with WCU.

"Our key tonight was the bullpen. Everyone who came out of the bullpen had a clean inning and threw strikes," head coach Mike Sansing said. "It was impressive to me to see that improvement."

The four relievers picked up Chris Erwin's solid start –his second of the season—after the left-handed pitcher went 5.0 innings, scattering seven hits and two earned runs. The sophomore, who hails from Grayson, Georgia, picked up his second win of the season and now sits at an even 2-2 in nine appearances.

"Chris was throwing extremely well tonight. I thought he threw well and controlled both sides of the plate," Sansing said. "I thought he threw really well tonight."

The Owls improved to 13-2 on the season when scoring first, plating a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning. Corey Greeson—who led off the inning with a walk—eventually scored from third base off a defensive error. Kal Simmons, who finished the game 2-for-3 with two RBI, also crossed home plate later in the inning from a pass ball, giving the Owls an early 2-0 lead.

After Erwin tossed scoreless innings in the third and fourth, Kennesaw State responded offensively and scored five runs on six hits over the next two frames to extend its lead at 7-2.

Jeremy Howell, who led the Owls at the plate finishing 3-for-4 with an RBI, jumpstarted the bottom half of the fourth with a single to center field. Corey Greeson and Kal Simmons followed with back-to-back hits, including Simmons' two-run double that pushed KSU's lead to 4-0.

After the Catamounts cut the lead in half with a two-run homer in the top of the fifth, KSU replied with a game-high, three-run fifth to push its lead to five.

Cornell Nixon, who finished the game 1-for-5 with a run scored and two RBI, recorded a one-out base-clearing triple to right center field, scoring freshman Griffin Helms and senior Chris McGowan. Howell, a batter later, doubled to left center to bring Nixon across home plate, stretching KSU's lead to 7-2.

The five run lead was more than enough for the Owls' bullpen, as Western Carolina could only manage two hits over the last four innings.

Kennesaw State added two insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth, coming from an RBI fielder's choice off Allum's bat before McGowan crossed home plate on a wild pitch.

The Owls placed at least two batters on base in each inning throughout the game, including a season-high 11 walks. Kennesaw State also totaled five extra base hits with four doubles and one triple on the evening. Seven different Owls recorded at least one hit in the game and out-hit the Catamounts 10-9 in the game

"Offensively we had some really good at bats tonight. It was nice to see them get going." Sansing said.

Kennesaw State will return to Atlantic Sun play this weekend as the Owls trek to Deland, Florida to take on Stetson in a three-game series. KSU will take on the Hatters at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday night, before concluding the series Saturday at 1 p.m.  

"It will be a tough weekend. Stetson has a really good club and well coached," Sansing said. "We have to go down there and play the way we are capable of."

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).
 
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