THE BASICS
Records: Kennesaw State (1-2), Minnesota (2-1)
Score Game 1: Kennesaw State 3, Minnesota 9
Score Game 2: Kennesaw State 8, Minnesota 11
Starting Pitching Matchup Game 1: LHP Nick Lackney vs. LHP Ryan Kennedy
Starting Pitching Matchup Game 2: RHP Jake Stevenson vs. RHP Jake Rothwell
 
Box Score Game 1 (PDF) | Box Score Game 2 (PDF)  
 
THE STORYLINE: 
· The Kennesaw State baseball team fell twice during Saturday's twinbill action at Stillwell Stadium to the visiting Minnesota Golden Gophers.
· The Owls (1-2) suffered a 9-3 defeated to Minnesota before dropping a 11-8 slugfest in the second game to the Golden Gophers (2-1).
 
GAME 1
· LHP Brian Exley tossed 3.1 scoreless innings in relief in game one of the doubleheader, allowing just one hit and struck out three batters.
· Exley, a Woodstock, Ga., native, tied his career high in strikeouts and fell 2/3 innings shy from his longest outing in his career.
· The Owls were held scoreless until the bottom of the ninth when senior Forrest Bramlett drove home the first run with an RBI double, followed by a two-run single off the bat of senior LaDonis Bryant.
· However, the Gophers' bats plated crooked runs in the first, second, third and sixth inning to take a 9-0 lead into the bottom half of the ninth.
· Kennesaw State's offense was paced by Bryant (2-for-3, two RBI), Terence Norman (2-for-3), Bramlett (1-for-4, RBI), and Grant Williams (1-for-3, run scored).
 
GAME 2
· An offensive slugfest was on display for game two of the twinbill, as Kennesaw State and Minnesota combined for 19 runs on 20 hits, including seven extra base hits and two home runs.
· The Owls wasted little time in game two, plating a crooked five runs in the bottom of the second thanks to an RBI single off the bat of sophomore OF Garrett Hodges and a grand slam off the bat of senior 2B Grant Williams – his first of his Owl career.
· After Minnesota answered with six earned runs in the top of the third, the Owls responded with three more in the bottom half to take a 8-6 lead.
· Norman, who finished the game 1-for-4 with two RBI, continued his hot bat with a two-run single before Williams –who finished with a career-high five RBI – issued a bases-loaded walk to give KSU an 8-6 lead after three complete.
· Minnesota's bats could not be solved, scoring 10 runs from the third through the sixth frames to take a 10-8 edge into the final third of the ballgame, proving to be enough to earn the sweep.  
· Out of the bullpen, LHP Cooper Mayhall, RHP Ryan Wesley and LHP Max Ryan combined for 4.2 strong innings, allowing one earned run and just two hits. The three combined for four strikeouts on the night.
· Williams (1-for-4, career-high five RBI), Hodges (2-for-4, two runs, one RBI), AJ Willoughby (2-for-4) and Norman paced the offense for the Owls in the second game of the twinbill.

SEASON TICKETS
Season tickets are available for $39 and can be purchased online by CLICKING HERE. You can also reach the ticket box office by calling 470-578-4849 for any season ticket inquiries.

Premium home games include Georgia (Feb. 21), Mercer (Feb. 27), Samford (March 2), North Florida (April 13), Lipscomb (April 20), Georgia State (May 8), Georgia Southern (May 9) and Clemson (May 15), and are priced $10 for single-game tickets. 

UP NEXT
Kennesaw State wraps up the Atlanta Challenge at Stillwell Stadium Sunday afternoon. The Owls host Bradley for a non-conference matchup, which is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. on Facebook Live.