KENNESAW, Ga. – Kennesaw State fell in game one of the three-game set 5-2 to UNCW inside Stillwell Stadium.

The Owls offense sputtered throughout the contest, logging just two hits in the first eight innings. In the ninth, Terence Norman and Garrett Hodges doubled the Owls' hit total with back-to-back singles.

Jake Franklin put the Owls on the board early with a two-run dinger over the right-field fence in the first inning. The Seahawks responded in the next inning with a solo home run to right-center field to cut the Kennesaw State lead in half.

UNCW tallied two runs in the fourth inning to take the lead and added two more in the fifth inning to extend the lead to 5-2.

In the ninth inning and down by a trio of runs, Norman led off with a rocket to right field which was followed by a single over the shortstop's head off of the bat of Hodges. The back-to-back base knocks forced UNCW into a pitching change. After Tyler Simon popped out to the second baseman, the Seahawks' closer fanned the final two batters of the game.

Brooks Buckler started on the mound for the Owls and pitched 6.0 innings. He surrendered four earned runs and punched out seven batters.

Franklin ended with a pair of RBIs for the Owls while Norman, Hodges and Seres each recorded a hit.

The Owls will look to bounce back tomorrow at 2 p.m.