Records: Kennesaw State (0-1), VCU (1-0)
Score: Kennesaw State 11, VCU 15
Starting Pitching Matchup: LHP Brooks Vial vs. LHP Chris Erwin
Key Players:  Austin Upshaw (3-for-5, HR); Jeremy Howell (1-for-4, 3RBI); Brennan Morgan (1-for-4, 2 runs, 2RBI); Team (18 hits, 11 runs); Tony Dibrell (3.0 IP, 1 hit, 5K); Brock Turner (1.0 IP, 0 hits); Brian Exley (1.0 IP, 0 hits)

Box Score (PDF) | Box Score (XML) | Photo Gallery
Upshaw Homerun Call | Motley Homerun call | Liquori RBI 2B

KENNESAW, Ga. – The Kennesaw State baseball program outscored the visiting VCU Rams 11-1 over the final six innings, but could not overcome a 14-0 deficit, dropping the season opener at Stillwell Stadium on Friday (Feb. 19) evening, 15-11.

In the first meeting between the two programs on a beautiful night, Stillwell Stadium filled up with 809 fans, marking the second largest opening day crowd in the history of the baseball program.

The Owls sprayed 18 hits over the course of nine innings, plating 11 runs. In fact, 11 players recorded at least one hit in the game. Sophomore first baseman Austin Upshaw, who made his Owl debut, led things offensively at the dish, going 3-for-5 with an RBI and a home run. Grant Williams (2-for-5), Griffin Helms (2-for-4), Alex Liquori (3-for-5, two doubles), and Trevor Brown (2-for-3) all record multi-hit games at the plate.

The Owls trailed 14-0 after the first three frames as the Rams scored three runs in the first, four runs in the second and seven runs in the third to take a commanding lead.

However, trailing 14-0 heading into the bottom half of the fourth frame, Williams jumpstarted an Owl comeback over the course of the final six innings, hitting the Owls' first double of the season down the right field line. Liquori, who manned right field for the day, followed with his first of two doubles on the day to center field to plate KSU's first run of the day.

The fourth inning continued as Liquori, a Brooks, Georgia native, eventually crossed home plate off a sacrifice fly from junior Dallas, Georgia native Howell to plate Kennesaw State's second run of the evening.
The offensive outburst, in which saw a crooked two thrown on the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth to pull within 10 runs, was sparked by key pitching out of the bullpen.

Sophomore right hander Tony Dibrell, senior Brock Turner and redshirt freshman Brian Exley combined to toss five scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and struck out six batters. The five shutout innings allowed the Owls to claw back within as many as four runs in the ninth.

In the eighth, trailing 14-5, KSU scored two runs from back-to-back home runs off the bats of Upshaw and Justin Motley to pull within 14-7.

Then, after allowing a run in the ninth, the Owls had one final push in the ninth, plating a game-high four runs on four hits. Over the final two innings, KSU scored six more runs, but VCU held on to win its first
game of the 2016 season.

Up Next
The Owls will continue opening weekend at Stillwell Stadium, hosting Big10 foe Purdue on Saturday (Feb. 20) at 2 p.m. Day two of the Atlanta Classic will be shown on ASUN TV as Nathan McCreary will have the call. 
 
Quoting Coach Sansing
"We got down so big, so early and that was difficult to come back from. I thought we did a very good job offensively. We got down early, gave up some home runs and it was too big of a deficit to overcome. VCU was a very good offensive team and they played well tonight. A lot of new guys contributed tonight and I was happy for those guys. The bullpen came out and threw strikes and did a great job tonight."
 - Kennesaw State Head Coach Mike Sansing
 
Notes
- This marked the first meeting between VCU and Kennesaw State in programs' history.
- The opening day at Stillwell Stadium marked the 18^th time since 1992 the Owls have hosted the first game of the season.
- KSU entered the day averaging 7.1 runs per game on opening day in front of the Owl faithful.
- 809: Today's attendance marked the second largest opening day crowd on program history!
- Owl newcomers, LaDonis Bryant, Austin Upshaw, Trevor Brown, Jake Franklin and David Chabut all recorded their first hits at Kennesaw State.
- Relievers Brian Exley and Drew Reeves made their Kennesaw State debuts on the mound.
- Austin Upshaw and Justin Motley both hit home runs on the night for the Owls.
- Tony Dibrell, Brock Turner, and Brian Exley tossed a combined five scoreless innings, allowing just one hits between them and totaling six strikeouts.
- The Owls outhit the Rams 18-11 for the game.
 
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