Box Score

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Kennesaw State baseball dropped its final midweek game of the season to USC Upstate by a score of 4-2 on Tuesday night at Cleveland S. Harley Park. The Spartans (33-19-1) scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth to break the tie and defeat the Owls (30-23) for the first time since 2018.

Makenzie Stills made his seventh start and earned a no-decision in the contest. The right-hander tossed 3.1 innings and allowed two runs on six hits. Stills struck out one on the evening.

Connor Housley was the first Owl out of the bullpen and threw three innings of scoreless baseball. Housley surrendered only one hit and struck out one.

Luke Torbert (3-2) was handed the loss after throwing the final 1.2 innings. Torbert escaped a jam in the seventh when he inherited two runners in scoring position. The right-hander surrendered zero earned runs on the night and posted two strikeouts.

The Kennesaw State offense collected six hits.  

Josh Hatcher paced the offense out of the leadoff spot. The center fielder was 2-for-3 at the plate with a double and one walk. The double marked the 23rd of the year for Hatcher and is one shy of tying the KSU single season record which was set by Max Pentecost in 2014.

Donovan Cash, Cash Young and Spencer Hanson were the other starters who recorded a hit. Cash and Hanson each extended their hit streaks to nine in the contest.

Nick Hassan entered off the bench and registered a pinch-hit single. The catcher has recorded a hit in six of his last seven appearances.

Kennesaw State got on the board in the top of the fourth. Zac Corbin led off with a walk and advanced to second on a single from Cash. Young then roped a fly ball to deep center that hung up just enough for the Upstate centerfielder to make the catch, but both runners advanced on the play. With one out, Hanson lined a sac fly to right that brought home Corbin and gave KSU a 1-0 lead.

Upstate scored two in the bottom of the frame to hold a 2-1 advantage.

The Owls trailed until the seventh when Nick Colina hit a sacrifice fly that allowed Hassan to tag up and score. Hassan led off the inning with a pinch-hit single and advanced to second on an error. Brayden Eidson moved him to third on a fielder's choice and then Colina brought him home on the fly ball.

Upstate scored its final runs with two-outs in the eighth inning. With the bases loaded, a ground ball took a tricky hop and bounced just out of the reach of Tyler Simon. This scored two Spartans and moved the score to 4-2 which held as the final.

KSU is back in action Thursday, May 19 as it heads to Liberty for its final ASUN series of the season. The Owls sit in second place in the ASUN East Division and aim to take over the top spot this weekend. First pitch is set for 6:00 p.m. on Worthington Field at the Liberty Baseball Stadium.

To keep up with the latest on the Kennesaw State baseball team, follow the team on Twitter @KSUOwlNation and @KSUOwlsBaseball or by liking Kennesaw State University on Facebook and Instagram.