Owls down Bulldogs, Jackets in back-to-back weeks
By Julien Benjamin, Staff Writer
KSU’s baseball team picked up its first win at Russ Chandler Stadium since 1989 Tuesday afternoon, defeating Georgia Tech 5-3 in 12 innings. KSU has defeated Georgia and Georgia Tech in the last two weeks.
The Owls picked up their sixth win of the season, but it did not come easily. KSU had the Jackets down to their final out on three occasions, but it was not until the 12th that the team recorded all three necessary outs to prevent from being stung by Georgia Tech’s bats.
KSU’s pitching was strong, allowing just a hit per inning and one earned run on the afternoon. The staff also struck out six batters, while walking one. Freshman Gabe Friese threw five innings and allowed just three baserunners in his appearance, though he received a no-decision. Justin McCalvin threw 1.2 scoreless innings in relief, bringing his season ERA to 0.90. Freshman Mason Ward, who picked up his first collegiate win in the game, extended his scoreless innings streak to seven. Kal Simmons and Bo Way led the Owls offensively, each providing three hits for the team. The team was helped most by two Georgia Tech errors late in the game,that led to three unearned runs.
The Owls scored a run in the first, when Way doubled to right-center field, scoring Jacob Bruce. They added another in the fourth on an RBI grounder. Up 2-0 headed into the sixth, reliever Cole McArthur allowed the first Yellow Jacket run of the game, when Brandon Gold singled into rightfield, scoring Matt Gonzalez, who had just reached on a throwing error by third basemen Matt Bahnick.
KSU held a 2-1 lead into the ninth, but a fielding error by Simmons—his ninth of the season—with two outs, continued the inning and led to another unearned run scored by the Jackets after a Kennan Innis bunt-single.
After a scoreless 10th inning, the Owls took a one-run lead in the 11th, following a wild pitch and throwing error by the Georgia Tech catcher, allowing Simmons to score from second. He had earlier walked to lead off the frame.
In the bottom of the inning, the Yellow Jackets were yet again down to their final out, but reliever Kendall Hawkins allowed a double to rightfield, tying the game at three. Freshman Mason Ward was called upon to finish the inning, which he did, stranding the runner, Ryan Peurifoy, at second base.
In the 12th, the Owls added the final two runs of the game, both unearned, after a fielding error by Peurifoy; Alex Liquori and Justin Motley both scored on the play. Ward closed out the 12th, with a 6-4-3 double play to end the game.
Weekend series vs. Jacksonville State
KSU (7-6) defeated Jacksonville 10-1 on Friday, followed by a close 1-0 defeat and a 9-8 loss in 17 innings on Sunday. In the marathon rubber match, Jacksonville State scored five first-inning runs, but KSU answered with two in the seventh and eighth frames to tie the score at 6-6 in the ninth inning. Both teams recorded 16 hits, with Colin Bennett leading with a 3-for-6 performance, while Justin Motley went 3-for-7. Jacob Bruce, Justin Motley and Chris McGowan each had two RBIs.
