MARIETTA, Ga. – A consistent offensive effort for Kennesaw State (20-19, 10-5 CUSA) secured the series sweep after a 10-3 game three win over FIU (22-17, 6-8 CUSA) at S. Walter Kelly Sr. Memorial Field Saturday.
Aaron Posey collected a career day with his first four-hit performance in his three seasons. The catcher went 4-for-4 with three singles and a solo home run. He also tacked on three runs scored in the win.
How It Happened
Starting the game, KSU starting pitcher
Smith Pinson was able to wiggle out of a jam with the bases loaded, forcing a rollover double play to keep the game tied at zero in the first.
It didn't take long for the Owl bats to warm up as they posted three runs in the first inning. The first pitch of the day hit
Nate Anderson which was quickly followed by a
Wesley Alig walk.
Jackson Chirello continued his stellar play as he roped a ball to right field for a two-RBI triple. As Chirello was on third base,
Cam Suto buried a ball into the dirt near the pitcher which was enough to score Chirello for a 3-0 KSU lead.
The offense was parlayed into the second frame as Chirello brought a run home via the fielder's choice along with a throwing error from the FIU defense. Anderson advanced to home plate for the lone run of the second and nursing a four-run advantage.
FIU bounced back with a run scored in the top of the third inning.
A similar fielding occurrence took place for the Owls in the third inning as Posey scored on another fielder's choice but this from the bat of Alig. With the bases still loaded,
Donovan Cash sent a flare into center field, scoring
Chris Cole on the sacrifice fly.
In the home half of the fourth, Posey sent a moonshot out to center field for a solo home run. It's his first home run of the season and the second of his career.
The runs kept coming for KSU, uncorking two more in the sixth stanza. The third score via the fielders' choice came with the bases juiced and from Alig's bat once again. A second run came around to cross due to a throwing error by the FIU second baseman, giving the Owls an 9-1 lead going into the seventh.
FIU fought back with a two-run inning off two hits and an error for KSU in the eighth.
The final run tacked on for the Black and Gold was a loud one from the bat of Cash. The designated hitter unleashed a solo bomb to left field, signifying the eighth time this year the Owls have registered double-digit run totals.
The Owls suffocated the FIU bats in the final inning taking the 10-3 victory and cementing consecutive Conference USA sweeps.
Spotlight Performances
- Posey collected a career day with his first four-hit performance in his three seasons. The catcher went 4-for-4 with three singles and a solo home run. He also tacked on three runs scored in the win.
- Cash surpassed yet another milestone with his double in the fifth inning. He passed Tyler Simon for first place in DI career total bases as Cash earned his 384th in Saturday's game. His home run in the eighth gave him the team lead with nine.
- Anderson finished his day 0-for-1 but tallied four walks, tied for a Division-I single-game record. He ended the day with two hits and two RBI, along with one run scored.
- The last Owl to do so was Jamarie Brooks at Kentucky (March 9, 2024). The lefty also compiled two runs and a stolen base. He has reached base in 12 straight games.
- Alig extended his reached base streak to a team-high 23 games earning a walk, RBI and run.
- The Owls showed premier patience at the dish, showcasing 11 walks, tied for a season high. It's the highest walk total they have garnered in a win this season as they took 11 versus Columbia (Feb. 21) in the 10-5 loss. KSU tallied 22 walks over the last two games and 26 in the series. Eight of the Owls starting nine earned at least one walk.
- KSU is 16-3 this year when tallying between 10-14 hits as a team. The Owls have won all six games when they score 10 or more runs.
- It's the first seven-game winning streak of the Ryan Coe era.
- Bo Rhudy was dominant again in closing the game out, striking out three batters. Rhudy has fanned six of the last seven hitters he has seen.
- KSU pitching was electric over the weekend, holding the third-highest scoring CUSA offense to just seven runs over three games.
- Owl leadoff hitters were 6-for-8 (.750) and were 11-for-16 in the last two games (.688). They scored in all but two innings in which they were given the bats.
- The Owls are above .500 as a team for the first time since the first win of the season (Feb. 14 vs. Rutgers).
Next Up
It's back to the road for Kennesaw State take on the Charlotte 49ers in a Tuesday midweek match up at 6 p.m. in North Carolina.
