Game 1: Box Score (PDF) | Box Score (XML)
Game 2: Box Score (PDF) | Box Score (XML)
KENNESAW, Ga. - The Owls swept Saturday's Saint Louis doubleheader on the back of spectacular pitching, winning the first game 5-1 and the second 2-1.
Graduate student Jake Rice got down to business in the opening game, striking out six batters in his first three innings.
The Owl bats started to support their starting pitcher in the bottom of the third, when left fielder Nick Colina scored Logan Fink off of a single to center field.
KSU wasn't done there though, and the pressure intensified on SLU starter Marius Balandis when the home team loaded the bases in the fourth inning. Balandis eventually succumbed to the pressure and Tyler Tolve sent a pitch to the left-center fence to clear the bases for the Owls.
Sporting a 5-0 lead heading into the fifth inning, Coach Mike Sansing called on Jared Rine to secure the win for the Owls; the sophomore reliever did not disappoint. A hit batter was the only blemish on Rine's first two innings, striking six batters of a possible seven batters out.
The Billikens tried to mount a comeback in the seventh and final inning under special doubleheader rules and a save situation arose for Rine. With two runners on, Saint Louis singled to right field and SLU outfield Colin Bergmann got the green light from his third base coach. Norman made a stellar throw and got the runner at home plate, ending the game 5-1.
Saint Louis University may still have been shaken going into the second game, as KSU runners were on second and third off of a Jesse Sherrill walk and Tolve base hit. Skylar McPhee hit a ground ball to the SLU shortstop, who miscued his throw to first base; the first baseman couldn't recover in time before Sherrill and Tolve scored, giving the Owls a 2-run lead in the bottom of the first.
Both teams' offenses struggled to get going and this can be contributed to the impressive pitching performance from game two starter Ryan Kennedy. The junior leftie threw five innings of one-run, five-hit ball before giving the ball to Kolby Johnson.
Johnson was solid in his first appearance as an Owl, no hitting the Billikens over the last two innings to get the save.
Kennesaw State returns to the Stillwell on Sunday afternoon for a 1 p.m. first pitch in the final game against Saint Louis University.
