MARIETTA, Ga. – Overcoming unfriendly weather Friday and Saturday, Kennesaw State (24-22, 14-6 CUSA) garnered a two-game series sweep over New Mexico State (22-25, 10-10 CUSA) at S. Walter Kelly Sr. Memorial Field Sunday.

After resuming Friday night's game at the bottom of the ninth, the Owls rattled off six runs paired with a three-run walk-off home run from Nate Anderson, giving KSU an 11-9 victory. Game two showcased a stupendous pitching performance, allowing just four hits in the 5-1 win.

Donovan Cash roped his 54^th career double in the bottom of the third inning on Friday, solidifying him as the Division-I record holder, surpassing Kennesaw State Hall of Famer Max Pentecost (53).

How It Happened
Game One
Allowing free passes to start the game, the first run came around to score via the infield error in the attempt to turn a double play. The runner from second base scored to give NMSU a 1-0 lead. Another run came around as a throwdown to second base from Posey opened the door for a delayed steal from an Aggie on third base.

As the errors piled up, the Aggies recorded four more runs in the second frame, earning the 6-0 advantage.

Chris Cole singled to shallow center field, kicking off the bottom of the third inning. Cash then twisted a double down the left field line, escaping into the corner of the wall for an RBI double. Cole sprinting from first base to home plate gave the Owls their first run.

In the fourth stanza, Wesley Alig stung a single to center field in the opening at-bat. Posey followed suit with a screamer through the left infield. Shammar McDuffie cranked a single straight through the middle, scoring Alig from second, moving Posey to third while McDuffie advanced on the throw to third. Three straight singles brought the game to 6-2 NMSU. Nate Anderson lifted a sacrifice fly to right that was nearly a three-run shot, but the play brought Posey home as the Owls cut the six-run lead in half.

The home half of the fifth inning began Chirello walking on six pitches. Alig launched a looping two-run dinger, finessing its way near the left field foul pole and bringing the Owls within two runs.

In the top of the seventh, the Owl defense whipped around a nasty double play thanks to Hudson Mimbs and Cam Suto. With a runner at second base with one out, an NMSU hitter grounded it to Mimbs, who took the out at first base. The runner from second base sprinted to third base to advance, but a throw and a beautiful tag from Mimbs ended the inning.

Cash took a walk to start the bottom of the ninth inning before a torrential downpour filled the Marietta field, halting play in its tracks. The game was suspended for the rest of the evening due to inclement weather. Saturday's games were also suspended due to rain, resulting in a Sunday afternoon resumption of game one.
 
39 hours later, game one picked up but this time, with a sunny setting in Marietta.  

Continuing his 1-0 count from Friday night, Chirello took three more balls for a walk. Cam Suto then walked to load the bases, bringing up Wesley Alig.

Alig was hit by the first pitch, scoring a run and bringing KSU within three. Two pitches later, Cooper Williams, pinch-hitting for Mimbs, took a pitch to the leg, chipping it to a two-run deficit. McDuffie ballooned a sacrifice fly to deep right field, scoring Alig.

Flipping the lineup over to Anderson for the fourth time in the game and the first time on the day. Anderson hit a three-run home run that squeaked over the right center field fence for a walk-off 11-9 win.
 
Game Two
The Owls wasted no time getting on the board with a Cole infield bunt single that set the table for a Cash two-run dead center tank. The ball hit off the power lines over the center-field wall, giving KSU a two-run advantage in the first inning.

Fast forwarding to the fifth inning, New Mexico State finally had its answer with one run off two hits, cutting the lead in half.

With no hesitation, Kennesaw State retaliated with a lead-off double from Cole to left field starting the fifth inning. Cash then split the pillars with a ringing single through the middle infield, scoring Cole and boasting a two-run lead. The lefty Chirello directed found green grass with an opposite field poke to left field, bringing around Cash jotting to a 4-1 lead.
Cash eviscerated a baseball over the left field fence for a 353 ft solo homer in the seventh inning.

Bo Rhudy appeared in the final two innings, shutting the door on the two-game series sweep, securing a 5-1 triumph.
 
Spotlight Performances
Game One

• Anderson launched his 9^th home run of the season in game one's ninth inning to secure the victory. Anderson reached base in the first inning due to a full-count pitch clock violation, extending his reached-base streak to 18 games. The lefty has three homers in his last two Conference USA games.
• Cash's double not only set the school record but also drove in KSU's first run of the game. He tallied his 177^th career RBI.
• Alig clobbered his fifth homer of the season, all five came in the fifth inning and beyond.
• Ryan Gold was splendid in his outing, going 4.1 innings with five strikeouts while allowing just one run.
• The Black and Gold have overcome a deficit of four or more runs in eight games this year.
• It's the Owls' fourth walk-off win of the season (excluding run-rules).
• KSU is 8-2 in games where they nab two home runs (Alig & Anderson).
• The Black and Gold have won six (of seven) Conference USA series openers.

Game Two

• Cash's dingers signaled the 12^th and 13^th of his season, extending his team lead and ushering him into the top five in CUSA. The designated hitter is approaching all-time status as he is just 10 RBI away from breaking the all-time program RBI record of 190 from Bo Counts (1999-2002). He now sits fifth in all-time program history with 36^th big flies. He accrued his first four-hit game of the season and his second four-RBI contest.
• Ty Bayer got the Owls off the ground with 4.1 innings while surrendering just one run. It marked his fifth appearance registering four or more innings in a game.
• McDuffie swiped his first stolen base of the season in the sixth inning. He tallied a two-hit performance, his sixth multi-hit game of '25.
• Four hits allowed are tied for the lowest total in a single game this year for KSU and the sixth time they've done so.
• Totaling his seventh win, Daniel Powell is now in sole possession of second place in victories among CUSA pitchers.

Next Up
Midweek action persists as KSU will finish part two versus the West Georgia Wolves in Carrollton, Ga. at 6 p.m. Read Full Article