THE BASICS
Records: Kennesaw State (25-30), FGCU (38-18)
Score: Kennesaw State 6, FGCU 3
Starting Pitching Matchup: LHP Josh Dye vs. RHP AJ Moore
Key Players: Jeremy Howell (1-for-3, HR, three RBI), Corey Greeson (2-for-4, two RBI), Grant Williams (2-for-5, RBI), AJ Moore (win)
 
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THE STORYLINE: 
· RHP AJ Moore dealt a season-high 8.0 innings, and clutch hitting late propelled No. 5 Kennesaw State past No. 3 FGCU Thursday night at Melching Field, 6-3.
· Back-to-back three-run frames in the seventh and eighth backed an impressive outing by Moore to lift the Owls into Friday without a loss in the double elimination bracket.
· With the win, Kennesaw State improved to 25-30 overall and 2-0 in the 2017 ASUN Championships, advancing in the winners bracket game at noon (ET) Friday versus No. 1 Jacksonville.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
· The night appeared to belong to the pitchers as Dye finished the contest allowing three runs on six hits in 6.1 innings, not allowing any runs until the seventh frame. The sophomore punched out four Owls and issued three walks in his outing.
· The Black and Gold countered with Moore (5-7), a Dacula, Ga., native, who out-dueled the lefty going 8.0 impressive innings. Moore allowed three runs on eight hits, striking out four Eagles to pick up the victory.
· The two teams traded scoreless frames until FGCU struck first in the bottom half of the fifth with a base-clearing RBI triple to take a 1-0 edge.
· The Owls answered in a big way, plating a crooked three runs on three hits to take a two-run edge over the Eagles in the top of the seventh.
· Junior Co-Defensive Player of the Year, Grant Williams, came up big with his bat, driving in the game-tying run with an RBI double to kick-start the frame.
· The inning continued when junior left fielder Corey Greeson followed his lead with a single through the right side to bring home a pair of runs and take their first lead of the ballgame at 3-1. 
· The two-run lead was extended to five when senior third baseman Jeremy Howell hit a three-run homer to center field for the Owls' largest lead of the contest at 6-1.
· FGCU fought back with two runs in the ninth, but it was senior Erich Stahl coming out of the bullpen with bases loaded and held off the Eagles' lineup to pick up his third save of the season.
· Offensively, Howell (1-for-3, HR, three RBI), Greeson (2-for-4, two RBI), and Williams (2-for-5, RBI) totaled five of their 10 hits and drove in all six runs.
 
#NESTNOTES
· The last time Kennesaw State opened the ASUN Championships 2-0, the Black and Gold won the tournament and went on a Super Regional appearance.
· Jeremy Howell hit his third home run of the season and first since April 8 versus USC Upstate. The three home runs is a single-season career high for the senior.
· The home run extended the Owls' streak of long balls to seven straight games, as KSU has slugged .469 since May 14^th.
· RHP AJ Moore saved his best outing this season for Thursday night, tossing a season high 8.0 innings.  
 
UP NEXT
Kennesaw State moves on to face No. 1 Jacksonville in the semifinals of the ASUN Championships, with the winner advancing to the championship game on Saturday. The Owls and Dolphins are scheduled to begin at noon (ET) at Melching Field, and will air on ESPN3.