MACON, Ga. – Kennesaw State (15-16) scored 11 runs in two innings to take down Mercer 12-5 Wednesday night at OrthoGeorgia Park.
The Owls broke the game open with a seven-run fourth inning and added four more runs in the seventh to power past the Bears (21-13). With the win, KSU split the season series with Mercer.
Kennesaw State scored 12 runs on 11 hits.
Spencer Hanson and
Donovan Cash each went deep for the Owls. Hanson led KSU with three hits. Cash,
Makenzie Stills and
Aaron Posey added two knocks.
Wade Richardson and
Nick Colina each collected a hit apiece.
Jackson Chirello drew two walks and scored a pair of runs to pace the KSU offense.
Earning his first start of the year,
Agyei Quinichett was excellent on the mound. The freshman went three innings, with two punchouts and gave up no hits.
Nolan Sliver,
Miller Riggins and
Brayden Eidson combined for 10 strikeouts in relief over the final six innings. Riggins pitched two scoreless frames and didn't allow a hit in the eighth and ninth.
Hanson led off the top of the second with a solo shot to right-center for his fifth homer of the season to give KSU an early 1-0 lead.
Kennesaw State sent 13 batters to the plate in the top of the fourth and put up seven runs to push the lead to 8-0. Mimbs, Posey and Stills added an RBI. Cash launched a two-run homer to highlight the big inning.
Mercer added back a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning to cut the KSU lead to 8-2.
After entering in relief in the fourth, Eidson struck out the side in the bottom of the fifth to keep the KSU lead at six.
The Bears plated two more in the bottom of the sixth to make it 8-4.
Kennesaw State padded the lead with four runs in the top of the next frame. Posey hit a two-RBI double down the left-field line. Cash and Colina added an RBI each to extend the lead to 12-4.
Mercer scratched across one run over the final three innings as the Owls secured the 12-5 win Wednesday night.
The Owls return to Stillwell Stadium with a three-game series against Liberty starting Friday at 6 p.m. (ET).
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.
