KSU’s #27 Charlie Jones catches the ball. Mickey Dunn stadium. February 13, 2025. Photo Credit: Tye Brown/The Sentinel
Baseball broke in the newly renovated Mickey Dunn Stadium at Henssler Financial Field with an 11-3 opening day win over Evansville 11-3 behind an eight-run eighth inning.
“We saw how quickly things happened,” coach Ryan Coe said. “You can kind of see the athleticism on display, I think.”
Georgia Tech transfer Cooper McMullen gave Kennesaw State some early fire in the second inning, pitching his way out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam and keeping the game scoreless. The Owls offense rewarded his work in the bottom half of the inning, getting on the board on an RBI fielders choice by Wesley Alig.
The Purple Aces responded quickly, going up 2-1 in the third on a two-RBI double by Drew McConnell.
UE extended its lead to 3-1 in the sixth inning on a KSU throwing error. The Owls then tied the game at 3-3 in the bottom half of the inning on a pair of RBI doubles by Grayson McCollum andCooper Williams, set up by a triple from North Carolina State transferTrenton Lyons.
The game entered the bottom of the eighth inning still tied at 3-3, appearing to be possibility heading to extra innings, when the Owls bats went white hot.
Leading the way was Georgia transfer Charlie Jones, who put KSU in front for the first time since the second inning on an RBI single. Alig followed suit, singling up the middle for his second RBI of the night and bringing the score to 5-3 in the Owls’ favor.
Designated hitter Jackson Chirello hit his first RBI of the year as well on a double out to left field, scoring Jones and putting KSU up 6-3.
Along with Jones, Lyons hit his first RBI at his new home, an RBI single for the Owls’ ninth run.
KSU only needed the arms of two of its pitchers on Friday, with McMullen going five innings of three-hit ball, giving up two runs but none earned in his Owls debut.
“It was nice, [to only use two pitchers] Coe said. “We stocked up a little bit in the bullpen and got off to a good start for the weekend.”
Daniel Powell pitched four innings in relief, allowing only two hits and striking out nine batters, five of those strikeouts coming in his first two innings on the mound.
“Daniel’s just being Daniel,” Coe said. “When he starts throwing that change up and gets in a good rhythm, it frustrates guys and they start swinging and it just really keeps them off balance.”
KSU saw multi-hit nights from four batters, with perhaps the most impressive coming from freshman McCollum, who had three hits in five trips to the plate in his college debut.
The Owls are sharing this weekend series against Evansville with Marshall, who they will take on at 4 p.m. Saturday afternoon.
