THE BASICS
Records: Kennesaw State (8-9), #12 Oklahoma (19-3)
Score: Kennesaw State 2, #12 Oklahoma 5
Starting Pitching Matchup: RHP Jake Irvin vs. RHP Tony Dibrell
Key Players:  Grant Williams (3-for-4); Austin Upshaw (2-for-4); Taylor Allum (RBI); Grififn Helms (RBI); Tony Dibrell (career-high 8.0 IP)
 
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THE STORYLINE: 
· A big sixth inning proved to be enough for No. 12 Oklahoma Friday evening, defeating host Kennesaw State at Stillwell Stadium, 5-2, in game one of the non-conference weekend series.
· The 12^th-ranked Sooners scored a crooked five runs on the scoreboard in the sixth frame, and avoided a ninth inning rally to take the first game of the series.
· With the loss, Kennesaw State dropped to 8-9 overall while Oklahoma improved to 19-3.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
· In what quickly became a battle between a pair of starting right handers, the Owls' Tony Dibrell and the Sooners' Jake Irvin countered each other inning by inning early on.
· Dibrell, an Alpharetta, Ga., native, was solid throughout the night, working a career-high 8.0 innings in which he allowed five runs (one earned) on five hits and punched out eight OU batters.
· OU's Irvin opposed the junior with 6.0 frames, allowing two runs (one earned) and struck out six of his own to keep Kennesaw State's early lead to just 2-0.
·The Owls totaled four of their nine hits over the first three innings, plating single runs in the bottom of halves of the second and third with RBI off Griffin Helms and Taylor Allum's bats to take a 2-0 lead through five.
· However, Oklahoma scored five runs (one earned) in the sixth and proved to be enough, never surrendering the lead.
· In its final at-bat of the ballgame, Kennesaw State loaded the bases but could not produce any runs in a hard-fought ninth frame.  
· Offensively, the Owls were led by Grant Williams (3-for-4), Austin Upshaw (2-for-4), Allum (1-for-3, RBI) and Helms (RBI).
 
#NESTNOTES: 
· Taylor Allum drove home his ASUN-leading 20th RBI of the season in the third inning. He has produced at least one RBI in 11 of his 16 games.
· Austin Upshaw totaled two more hits on the season, and is tied with Allum for the most hits (24) on the roster. Upshaw has eight games with two or more hits in a ballgame, with five of those games with two hits.
· Tony Dibrell's 8.0 innings tonight marked a career high in innings pitched, breaking his previous best of 7.0 in a single outing.
 
UP NEXT
Kennesaw State returns to Stillwell Stadium Saturday afternoon, taking on No. 12 Oklahoma for its second game of the weekend series. The contest is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m., and will air on ESPN3 with Nathan McCreary and Scott Whitlock on the call.