MARIETTA, Ga. – Seven runs scored in the middle innings propelled Kennesaw State (27-25, 15-9 CUSA) past MTSU (23-30, 8-17 CUSA) Thursday night at S. Walter Kelly Sr. Memorial Field. 

Nate Anderson belted his 11^th homer of the season and third lead-off homer. He accrued a four-hit game, his second of the year with the other coming April 12 against Sam Houston.The redshirt-senior reached base six times in the game

How It Happened
The Blue Raiders scratched one run across in the first inning with a RBI single through the middle.
 
Anderson took the first pitch he saw to deep right-center for a solo bomb, beginning the scoring for the Owls. 
 
Cooper Williams smoked an opposite field laser to right central to take the 2-1 lead in the second inning.

The Blue Raiders tacked on two runs in the third and fourth innings, jumping out to a 5-2 lead.

A two-out rally ignited life into the Owl offense in the home half of the fourth inning. After McDuffie and Anderson reached base via a single and a walk, respectively. Cole tripled down the right field line, scoring McDuffie and Anderson, making it a 5-4 MTSU lead. Donovan Cash was intentionally walked, allowing Chirello to single through the middle, scoring Cole and tying the game at five apiece. Wesley Alig hammered an infield single to the MTSU second baseman. Drifting to second base, the MTSU fielder threw the ball off his back foot, causing an errant throw to first base and then another errant throw from first base to home plate, allowing Cash to score from second base. At the end of the fourth frame, the Owls lead by one.
 
The Owls rang the bell again in the fifth inning, rattling off three additional runs. The stanza began with a Williams single followed by a McDuffie walk. Anderson sparked a single past the first baseman, bringing around Williams, boosting the Owls to a 7-5 game. Cole took a walk to load the bases for Cash. Cash then twisted a double past the third baseman, scoring Anderson and McDuffie, jolting to a four-run lead. 

MTSU would not go out quietly as they stacked another run at the top of the sixth.

The runs kept coming in the seventh inning as he kick-started the action with a single to left field, then he stole second base. Cash was intentionally walked for the second time in the game while Chirello also looked at ball four, loading the bases for Alig. The freshman pumped a single into left field, plating Anderson and Cash for a 7-run lead.  

Daniel Powell suffocated the Raider bats, holding the 11-6 lead to take game one.
 
Spotlight Performances

• Anderson belted his 11^th homer of the season and third lead-off homer. He accrued a four-hit game, his second of the year with the other coming April 12 against Sam Houston. Anderson reached base six times in the game.
• Williams collected his first home run in over a month, as the last occurrence took place at Sam Houston on April 13. It's his first home run at home since Jax State on April 5.
• Cole recorded his fourth triple of the season, now tied for second in the conference. 
• Alig secured two infield singles, putting pressure on the MTSU infielders and showcasing his speed. He ended with three hits and two RBI.
• Cash's double signaled his 22^nd of the season, moving him to third place in DI history and besting his '22 campaign.
• The 1-2-3 hitters for the Owls compiled eight RBI as Anderson, Cole and Cash each stacked two.
• When collecting 10+ hits -- 22-4
  When scoring 10+ runs -- 13-0
  Under Coe 
  When collecting 10+ hits -- 78-30
  When scoring 10+ runs -- 46-4
• Halton Hardy cemented his second win of the season with one earned run over four innings.
• Daniel Powell was shut down in his appearance, fanning four hitters over two innings.

Next Up
The Owls are back in action at 6 p.m. tomorrow for Mickey Dunn Day for game two of the series.   
 
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