MORGANTOWN, W.V. - Freshman
Wesley Alig belted the first home run of his career Sunday as Kennesaw State baseball fell 14-7 to West Virginia Sunday afternoon at Wagener Field to conclude a three-game series.
The Owls (6-11) got out to an early 3-0 lead before the Mountaineers (14-1) took the lead and did not look back.
Cam Suto led the team with a three-hit ballgame and joined Alig with a homer of his own in the ninth, going 410 feet. Alig went 2-for-3 and came across for two of the Owls' seven runs Sunday.
How it Happened
Nate Anderson reached safely via infield error and immediately stole second.
Chris Cole them sent a ball to left, giving KSU a quick 1-0 lead. Two at-bats later and with bases juiced,
Cooper Williams put one into the outfield to score Cole and Cash, extending the lead to 3-0. WVU added four in the bottom of the frame to take a 4-3 lead.
Williams knocked his second hit of the afternoon in the third inning. The Mountaineers extended their lead to 5-3 in the bottom of the inning.
Cash reached in the top of the fifth with a leadoff walk and made it to third on a single from Suto. In the next at-bat, Alig sent a 1-0 pitch into right to cut the deficit to one, 5-4. WVU scored four in the bottom of the fifth to go up 9-4.
After a scoreless sixth, Alig mashed a 1-1, two-out pitch to left field for his first collegiate homer, cutting the score to 9-5 in the seventh. The home team added fifth in the eighth to go up 14-5.
With none out in the ninth, Suto blasted his fifth homer of the season on the first pitch he saw, slicing the deficit down to 14-6. Two at-bats later, Alig scored again on a wild pitch, making it 14-7.
West Virginia held on for the series-closing win. Starter
Ryan Gold (0-1) was credited with the loss.
Spotlight Performances
- The first six Owls that stepped up to the plate reached safely Sunday.
- KSU was 7-for-16 in two-out situations compared to West Virginia's 3-for-12.
- Cooper Williams joined Suto and Alig with a 2-for-5 day with two RBI.
- Sunday was Alig's fourth multi-hit game of his freshman campaign.
- Anderson extended his team-best hitting streak to seven games; he has reached base in 16-straight.
- Cole's hit streak now stands at four games.
Next Up
The Black and Gold travel back down to Macon, Ga. for a midweek showdown against Mercer. First pitch is set for 6:00 p.m.
KSU returns to S. Walter Kelly Sr. Memorial Field Friday, March 21 for the first of a three-game series against Western Kentucky to open Conference USA action.
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