Huntsville, Texas – Blistering offense propelled Kennesaw State (16-19, 7-5 CUSA) to complete its first series sweep taking down Sam Houston (8-28, 2-10 CUSA) 17-6 Sunday afternoon in eight innings. The Owls tied the Division-I single-game home run record hitting five big flies, tying the record set versus Belmont April 1, 2010.
The Owls uncorked three home runs in the same inning (sixth) marking the second time in DI program history the feat has been accomplished. The previous occurrence was April 11, 2011, when Ronnie Freeman, Andy Chriscaden and Peyton Hart hit three consecutive homers to begin the game. In the sixth frame, the Black and Gold garnered 12 runs, a new season-high. The previous 12-run inning for KSU came April 19, 2023, when they posted 12 runs in the first stanza versus Georgia Southern in the 13-9 victory.
How It Happened
Sam Houston snagged the game's first run with a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning.
Starting the second frame,
Cooper Williams uncorked a mammoth solo jack to right field, tying the game 1-1.
The next hit for the Owls didn't come until the start of the sixth inning as
Chris Cole buried a lead-off infield single. The Black and Gold then executed a perfect hit-and-run as Cole took off for second while
Donovan Cash directed the ball into the right field corner, scoring Cole and regaining the lead 2-1.
After a walk from Williams,
Cam Suto took the opportunity to post a crooked score in the sixth. Suto walloped a two-run home run to left field, lifting the Owls by four.
Bases the became loaded thanks to a
Jackson Chirello double, a
Wesley Alig single and an
Aaron Posey walk.
Shamaar McDuffie worked a full-count RBI walk, bringing Chirello around to score the fifth run of the stanza.
Nate Anderson then blasted a home run over the right field fence signifying his first grand slam of the year and jumping KSU to a 10-1 advantage.
The ninth run of the inning was scored via error as Suto reached safely from a fielder's choice at first base. As the throw was hurling toward first, it skipped past the first baseman's glove and rolled into foul territory, allowing Williams to score from third base making it an 11-1 lead.
Chirello launched his second homer of the season and the third of the inning. The two-run round-tripper completed a 12-run inning for the Owls as they completed the top of the sixth with a 13-1 lead. Kennesaw State saw 15 batters come to the plate in the inning.
A three-run home run from Sam Houston extended its life creating a 13-6 score in the seventh inning.
The Owls tacked four more runs in the eighth inning beginning with a foul fly-out score as Cash scored from third base on the tag up. Chirello catapulted his second home run of the game to right field, compounding his third RBI on the day and boosting KSU to a 10-run lead for the second time. After an Alig triple to right-center, McDuffie slashed a single up the middle scoring the freshman and gifting a 17-6 game.
Nate Helman closed the door and nabbed the first run-rule victory for the year for KSU with a 17-6 final in eight innings.
Spotlight Performances
- Williams' home run signified the fifth of his season, sitting second on the team.
- Chirello swung a white-hot bat as he pounded two home runs and stockpiled three RBI. The junior recorded two home runs in 53 games played last season and now sits with three on the '25 campaign. He also tallied three hits, three runs, a double and a walk.
- Pinson fanned five of the first seven Bearkat hitters marking the second time an Owl pitcher has punched out five batters in the first three innings. He set new season-highs in innings pitched with 5.2 and strikeouts with nine. The righty earned a team-high fourth win.
- Suto notched his seventh homer of the year regaining the highest tally on the team.
- In the sixth inning, the Black and Gold sent a season-high 15 batters to the plate.
- Anderson solidified a four-RBI game, the first time he has done so this season. He completed the series with six hits and six runs scored.
- 17 runs is the Owls largest run total of the season and the most scored in a game since April 27 last year when they took down Bellarmine 21-1. It's the fifth time KSU has totaled 10+ runs in a game. KSU hit .500 with runners on base going 9-18.
- Four Owls posted multi-RBI games as McDuffie (two), Chirello (three), Suto (four) and Anderson (four) account for 13 of the runs scored. 15 RBI signaled the high total this year, eclipsing the season-high previously set versus West Virginia (March 8).
- Eight of the starting nine batters recorded a base hit while posting 14 as a team, the fourth time they've done so this year.
- It's the first Conference USA series sweep in program history and the first three-game winning streak of the season.
- Cash now holds the team lead in multi-hit games with 13 after his two-hit Sunday.
Next Up
The Owls are back at home playing host to West Georgia at S. Walter Kelly Sr. Memorial Field on Tuesday with a 6 p.m. start time.
