THE BASICS
Records: Kennesaw State (29-25, 17-4), FGCU (24-30, 9-12)
Final Score: KSU 8, FGCU 7
Starting Pitching Matchup: RHP Mario Leon vs. RHP AJ Moore
Key Players: Grant Williams (2-for-5, RBI); Jeremy Howell (2-for-5, 2 RBI); Griffin Helms (3-for-4, 3 RBI); Austin Upshaw (go-ahead RBI)
 
Box Score (PDF) | Box Score (XML)

THE STORYLINE: 
· Kennesaw State hung on and earned a series sweep over FGCU with an 8-7 victory at Swanson Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
· Austin Upshaw's RBI double and Jeremy Howell's RBI in the ninth inning gave the Owls their go-ahead runs, proving to be the difference maker in the series finale, erasing an FGCU comeback to sweep the series.
· With the win, the Owls improved to 29-25 overall and 17-4 in ASUN action, while FGCU dropped to 24-30 overall and 9-12 in league play.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED: 
· The Owls wasted no time and lit up a crooked three runs in their first at-bats, coming off an RBI single from Howell and a two-out, two-run double off the bat of sophomore Griffin Helms for a 3-0 lead.
· The score remained true until the Owls extended their lead to 5-0 with RBI's off the bats of Chris Erwin and Grant Williams.
· AJ Moore, who earned the start for KSU, tossed 3.0 strong innings, allowing no runs and just two hits during his outing.
· The 5-0 lead dwindled to 5-4 as FGCU reeled off four unanswered runs to pull within one heading into the final two frames.
· Sophomore Griffin Helms answered with his fourth home run of the season to put Kennesaw State up 6-4 –he finished the ballgame 3-for-4 with three RBI on the day.
· The Eagles, however, fought from behind the entire day, plating two runs in the seventh, eighth and one in the ninth, but left the bases loaded with two outs as Logan Hutchinson (1) earned the save on the mound.
·  Austin Upshaw's RBI double and Howell's RBI single in the ninth proved to be the differance maker in a grind-it-out battle in the series finale.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS: 
· Grant Williams extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a single in the first inning. The sophomore was batting .404 over his last 11 games entering Saturday's contest.
· Kennesaw State will take on No.6-seeded Stetson at 11 a.m. on Wednesday to start the 2016 ASUN Championships.
· Griffin Helms recorded his fourth home run of the season.
· Richard Lovelady made his 35^th appearance of the season, which is top three in the NCAA.
 
UP NEXT
 The Owls will head into next week's 2016 ASUN Championship as the No.1 seed and will begin their journey against No. 6-seeded Stetson Wednesday at 11 a.m. in Nashville on the campus of Lipscomb.