THE BASICS
Records: Kennesaw State (17-19, 7-1) vs. USC Upstate (16-19, 1-6)
Final Score: KSU 8, USC Upstate 6
Starting Pitching Matchup: RHP Blake Whitney vs. RHP AJ Moore
Key Players: Corey Greeson (3-for-4, 4 runs, RBI); Austin Upshaw (2-for-3, RBI); Brennan Morgan (1-for-4, 3 RBI); Mason Ward (4.2 IP, 1 hit, 0 runs); Richard Lovelady (Save)
 
Box Score (PDF) | Box Score (XML)

THE STORYLINE: 
· Kennesaw State got key pitching out of the bullpen and timely hitting to secure its third-straight Atlantic Sun series, defeating USC Upstate at Harley Park on Saturday afternoon by a final score of 8-6.
· Mason Ward (2-1) picked up the win on the mound and Brennan Morgan manufactured three RBI in win over the Spartans to secure the weekend series.
· With the victory, Kennesaw State's record improved to 17-19 overall and 7-1 in the conference, while the loss dropped USC Upstate to 16-19 overall and 1-6 in the A-Sun.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED: 
· The two teams fought out a grind-it-out offensive slugfest over the first four innings of play, combining for 12 runs on nine hits, leaving a total of 13 runners on base and totaled three errors to take a 6-6 deadlock into the middle frames.
· Mason Ward came out of the bullpen and provided a sparkplug on the mound for Kennesaw State, working 4.2 scoreless innings and allowed just one hit to shut down the Spartans.
· All tied at 6-6, the Owls broke through with a two-run RBI single off the bat of Brennan Morgan with bases loaded to give Kennesaw State a key two-run edge – proving to be the winning hit that sealed afternoon.
· Richard Lovelady entered the game in the eighth inning, relieving Ward, with two outs and worked a four-out save to close the door.
· The Owls top of the lineup –which including Corey Greeson (3-for-4), Austin Upshaw (2-for-3), Grant Williams (1-for-3), Taylor Allum (1-for-5) and Brennan Morgan (1-for-4) combined for all eight of the Owls' hits and seven RBI on the day.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS: 
· Kennesaw State improved to 7-2 against USC Upstate in the second game of a weekend series against USC Upstate since 2008.
· Austin Upshaw extended his hitting streak to six games with an RBI single in his first at-bat.
· The Owls are now 7-1 in conference play, which is the best eight-game A-Sun start in program history since joining the league in 2006.
· AJ Moore recorded seven strikeouts, marking the fifth start the sophomore righty had recorded at least seven punch outs in an outing.
· Kennesaw State has now won six straight games.
 
QUOTABLE
"It's a big win today and it's always good to win a series. Our guys are really focused right now and we are getting some breaks and it's great to be in this situation. Corey Greeson is doing a nice job at the top and Austin (Upshaw) and Brennan (Morgan) produced today. Mason Ward was great and did an excellent job. He was really, really good today."
--Head Coach Mike Sansing 

UP NEXT
 The Owls will continue their weekend in Spartanburg, taking on USC Upstate on Sunday afternoon on ESPN3 in the series finale. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.