Rio White contributed to this article.
Kennesaw State’s baseball team played five games last week beginning on Tuesday, March 19, splitting two games against Binghamton before sweeping North Alabama in the first Atlantic Sun Conference series of the season.
Four players contributed with two hits each as the Owls won the first of two games against Binghamton 10-1. With the score at 5-1 after five innings, KSU broke away for a five-run sixth inning to expand their lead.
Redshirt junior Justin Russell began the scoring in that inning with a three-run home run after coming in as a pinch hitter. Senior David Chabut batted in a run with a triple later in the inning before another run scored on a sacrifice fly ball.
Before that, the Owls scored through an RBI single by junior Terence Norman, a solo home run and an RBI groundout by senior Jaylen Smith and a two-run single by junior Garrett Hodges.
Freshman pitcher Brendan Bickleman gave up just one run in five innings of work for his second win of the season.
The Owls’ six-game winning streak winning was stopped by the Bearcats on Wednesday as KSU fell 12-6.
Junior catcher Daniel Seres led the way for the Owls with four RBI, hitting two home runs, while Hodges had a pair of hits including a home run of his own.
A comeback attempt in the third and fourth innings by KSU was not enough as the Bearcats scored seven runs in the last five innings of the game.
Despite the setback, the Owls quickly recovered as they won the next three games to kick off conference play.
KSU began its weekend series against North Alabama on Friday, winning 3-1.
Senior pitcher Jake McLinskey put in the longest outing of any pitcher for the Owls this season, throwing 6.2 innings with seven strikeouts and giving up just one earned run.
Senior first baseman Jake Franklin hit a solo home run to open the scoring for KSU before Hodges scored on a bases-loaded walk, and Russell stole home plate after the runner on first attempted to steal second base.
The ballgame was saved by reliever Brian Exley who pitched over two scoreless innings.
Saturday’s game had an exciting finish as the Owls won 7-6 on a two-out walk-off single by freshman catcher Tyler Tolve.
Both teams kept trading runs back and forth as the game was tied 6-6 in the bottom of the ninth inning when Russell hit a single down the left field line.
After two walks loaded the bases, Tolve hit the first pitch he saw and drove it over the head of the center fielder to bring in the winning run.
Earlier in the game, Franklin and Hodges both hit home runs as the team accumulated 13 hits. Hodges finished the game with three RBI.
The brooms came out Sunday as the Owls played a game with a little breathing room in an 8-3 victory.
Each starting player had at least one hit, with Norman’s three hits and two RBI leading an exhibition of offensive skills. The Owls got out to an early lead, scoring three runs in the first inning before doing so again in the fourth.
Senior pitcher Brooks Buckler gave up just one run in five innings of work, striking out three batters.
The Owls have now won nine of the last 10 games.
Up next, the Owls will travel to Georgia State University on Wednesday, March 27, before heading to Lipscomb to play a three-game series beginning on Friday. The next home game will be on April 3 against the University of Georgia.
