MARIETTA, Ga. – Late inning rallies were the name of the game as the Owls and the Scarlet Knights split the season-opening Friday double header at S. Walter Kelly Sr. Memorial Field.
Game One
The Owls trailed by three early through the contest but quickly overtook the lead to show their mettle on opening day.
Kennesaw State starting pitcher, Braeden Osbolt, was a force to be reckoned with. He put together a stellar performance, racking up five strikeouts and making several key plays to keep the Owls in the game. Osbolt's efforts on the mound were instrumental in holding Rutgers scoreless through the first four innings. He left with 5.2 IP with two runs surrendered while neither were earned.
Holding off the Scarlet Knights in the third inning was
Cooper Williams as he hurled the first outfield assist of the season from right field, gunning down the first potential run at home plate after the single.
Rutgers managed to break the deadlock in the fourth inning with the help of a fielding error from the Owls, taking the first lead of the game. The Scarlet Knights tacked onto the lead going up by three runs heading into the home half of the seventh inning.
An Owl rally began with a
Jamarie Brooks walk, a
Shamaar McDuffie single and a
Chris Cole bunt single. After a
Donovan Cash walk, it opened the door for the Owls to get on the board, taking advantage of a wild pitch and a passed ball as Brooks and McDuffie both scored.
The table was set for
Cooper Williams to be the hero as he singled through the right side of the infield scoring Cash and Cole, giving the Owls a 4-3 lead. Freshman
Wesley Alig earned his first career collegiate RBI as he poked one through the third base line to bring Williams home, giving KSU a two-run advantage. The seventh inning contained five hits and five runs for the Owls.
Bo Rhudy came in to shut the door in the final inning to secure his first save and the Owl's first win of the season with a 5-3 final.
Game Two
All was quiet through the first four innings on both sides as KSU and Rutgers displayed exceptional defense and pitching.
Wes Alig and
Shamaar McDuffie turned a double play to stunt the momentum of Rutgers in the fourth inning. It was the first time the Scarlet Knights had two runners on base in the game to that point.
In the top of the 5
th inning, Rutgers scratched the first run of the game across going up 1-0.
A new pitcher entered the game for Rutgers and it injected life into the bats for the Owls. In the bottom of the fifth inning,
Nate Anderson pulled a home run over the right field fence, tying the score at 1-1 going into the second half of the game.
For the second time in the game, the Alig and McDuffie turnstile secured another double play to stunt the Scarlet Knights offense in the eighth inning.
Two more runs for Rutgers in the ninth inning gave them the 3-1 victory in the second game of the evening.
Spotlight Performances
- Chris Cole ended the doubleheader with three hits over seven at-bats (.429 Avg.)
- Ryan Gold shined in his first start as an Owl as he left the game with six innings of one-run ball
- Wesley Alig, Cam Suto and Evan Holstein all collected their first base knocks as Kennesaw State Owls
- Nate Anderson pounded his fourth home run of his career when he tied the game in the fifth inning
- Donovan Cash showed patience as he took four walks in the two-game slate, the team registered nine over 18 innings.
Next UP
Due to expected inclement weather Sunday, the rubber match in the series has been moved up to 1 p.m. on Saturday afternoon.
