KSU freshman Jacob Bruce batted 3-for-3 in his first game as an Owl, as the men’s baseball team won its first game of the young season on Sunday, 6-3, against Virginia Tech at Stillwell Stadium in Kennesaw, GA.
The Owls were slated to play two games on Sunday, but their 11 a.m. game against Bradley was cancelled due to inclement weather. Weather was an issue for the three teams over the weekend, as a rainy forecast for Saturday pushed the Owls into playing two games on Friday.
KSU opened the season on Friday afternoon with a tough loss against Bradley, 4-3, and followed with another one-run defeat at the hands of the Hokies, 3-2.
Because of cold and windy rain, Sunday’s first game against
Bradley was cancelled. Despite players being at the field since 9 a.m. Sunday, KSU was able to finally come together and put
up a winning performance.
“Yeah it was definitely a tough situation all day with this weather,” said head coach Mike Sansing. “I was proud of our guys.
I thought we pitched well and made some defensive plays. We did get some timely hitting.
”…It was encouraging to see everything come together.”
KSU sent four different pitchers to the mound, in relief of starter Alan Busenitz, in the final four innings, allowing just one run.
The moment of the game came in the eighth inning, after Andrew Austin pitched into two bases-loaded situations. With the score at 6-3, and runners on all three bags, coach Sansing pulled Austin in favor of junior James Connell.
Connell finished the game for the Owls, closing the contest with two strikeouts.
“He’s done that all spring for us,” said Sansing. “I thought he made some really good pitches there in the eighth.”
Starting pitcher Alan Busenitz threw for 4.2 innings, recording four strikeouts and allowing five hits to 22 batters faced.
The Owls weren’t necessarily potent from the plate. Lead off hitter Andy Almonte went 0-for-4, while the heart of the Owls’ lineup, consisting of Ronnie Freeman and Andy Chriscaden, batted 2-for-7.
However, KSU was helped with multiple errors from Virginia Tech’s infield. The Hokies committed five errors in the game, mixing in multiple wild throws with mishandled hops.
KSU scored its first run in the bottom of the fourth inning when Will Howard singled, moving Andy Chriscaden to third base. Howard then stole second, and a throwing error from the Hokies’ catcher allowed Chriscaden to walk home.
In the next frame, Bruce, and Aaron Dobbs scored for the Owls. Ronnie Freeman would ground into an RBI to give the Owls a 4-2 lead.
KSU scored two more runs in the seventh inning thanks to two more Virginia Tech errors.
“I think baserunning was key for us in this game,” said Sansing, regarding the pressure the Owls’ offense put on the Hokies’ infield.
“I thought that we did put some pressure on them in those situations. And we came out of all of them positive. Nobody got thrown out, so I think that was a big part of this game for sure,” said Sansing.
KSU’s victory gives them a 1-2 record on the young season.
KSU will play in a ten game road trip that includes games against Alabama State, Memphis, Georgia Tech (in Atlanta), Jacksonville State, Georgia (in Gwinnett), and a road game at Georgia State. KSU’s next home game will be on March 10, when they take on Georgia State at Stillwell Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.
