DELAND, Fla. - A pair of homers and a dominant relief outing from
Bo Rhudy led No. 2 Kennesaw State (30-23, 19-10 Atlantic Sun Conference) to a 6-5 win over the hosting No. 3 Stetson Hatters (37-20, 20-10 ASUN) Tuesday afternoon at the 2024 ASUN tournament inside Melching Field.
A four-run second for the Black and Gold set the tone followed by home runs in back-to-back frames to go up 6-1. Stetson scored the next four runs but its rally was cut short by the freshman reliever.
Rhudy, who was named to the 2024 All-ASUN First Team and All-Freshman Team Monday, threw the final two frames without allowing a single hit or run from Stetson - who entered the day 52nd in the nation and second in the conference in hits. He collected his fifth save of the season, tying
Tanner Franklin for the team lead.
Jamarie Brooks and 2024 All-ASUN Second Team honoree
Isaac Bouton ripped solo-shot, opposite-field jacks in fourth and fifth innings, respectively. Brooks now has a homer in back-to-back games while Bouton marked his 12th of the season and is now tied for eighth in KSU Division I single-season history.
Leadoff hitter
Chris Cole was the lone Owl with multiple hits on the day including a hustle around the bases for a double in the second inning.
By taking the opening game of Pool A action, KSU tallied its 30th win of the season, the second 30-win campaign in head coach
Ryan Coe's three-year tenure. The other 30-win season came in 2022 when the Owls won the Atlantic Sun Conference tournament.
Starter
Blake Aita (7-2) sat down the Hatters on nine pitches in the opening frame and seven in the second to retire the first six batters in order.
All-ASUN First Team selection
Nick Hassan was the first baserunner for either side in the bottom of the second, reaching on an HBP.
Donovan Cash followed Hassan with a double over the right fielder.
With those two on,
Jackson Chirello squared up a 1-1 pitch to center to score two runs for the Black and Gold. With Chirello on second,
Zac Corbin mashed a payoff pitch to add another run for KSU.
A wild pitch during Cole's second at-bat in as many innings scored Corbin from third, extending KSU's lead to 4-0 after two. The Owl offense chased the Hatter starter from the game after just 29 pitches.
Aita struck out two on an 11-pitch third to keep Stetson off the board. The Hatters added one in the fourth to cut into the lead, 4-1, but did not plate more after Aita forced an inning-ending double play with bases loaded.
Brooks blasted a solo shot to the opposite field on a 2-1 pitch to right field to give the run back to Kennesaw State, 5-1.
Bouton joined in on the 'Oppo-Taco Tuesday' with a solo shot of his own to right field, his 12th of 2024. KSU led 6-1 after five. Stetson got within one, 6-5, in the seventh.
Rhudy threw just eight pitches in the top of the eighth to retire Stetson in order.
He struck out another batter in the ninth and forced back-to-back groundouts to clinch the win for KSU.
UP NEXT
Kennesaw State continues Pool A action of the 2024 ASUN tournament Wednesday, May 22 for a 10:00 a.m. first pitch against No. 4 FGCU. Fans can catch the action on ESPN+ or follow the KSU Owl Network radio call
here.
