by Mike Foster (Sports Editor)
KSU finally won a conference series Saturday, improving its win streak to four with a 5-0 shutout victory over the Stetson Hatters at Stillwell Stadium.
Travis Bergen was comfortable throughout the contest. The sophomore pitcher improved his record to 4-4 on the season after going 7.1 innings, allowing just four hits and no walks against five strikeouts.
Justin McCalvin earned his second save in as many nights, and sixth on the year, after entering with a 3-0 lead and two runners aboard in the top of the eighth, flying out one batter to end the frame. McCalvin allowed a hit in the ninth before recording the final three outs.
The freshman duo of Jeremy Howell and Cornell Nixon helped pad the lead for McCalvin in the bottom of the eighth. Howell brought home Chris McGowan on a single, followed immediately by a dart from Nixon that snuck through to bring home Alex Liquori.
For the second straight day, the Owls used the long ball to jump ahead in the first inning. Jacob Bruce and Colin Bennett each hit their first home runs of the season in the opening frame.
Bennett also scored in the fourth inning after hitting a single to left field when catcher Brennan Morgan, who started for Max Pentecost behind the dish, hit a breaking ball to left for an RBI single. Bennett replaced regular starter McGowan at first base.
Alex Liquori went 2-for-4 at the plate with a run scored, while Bennett was the only other Owl with multiple hits.
KSU (18-20, 5-9 A-Sun) will look for the series sweep of the Hatters tomorrow, with first pitch set for 1 p.m.
The Sentinel could not have a writer at Saturday’s game. We apologize for the absence of interviews.
