By: by Jason Hanes
BUIES CREEK, N.C. - Peyton Hart's RBI single provided the winning run as the Kennesaw State baseball team rallied to defeat Campbell, 7-6, in 11 innings. The victory was the first Atlantic Sun Conference win for the Owls in 2010.
After jumping out to a 1-0 lead when Tyler Stubblefield homered on the third pitch of the game, KSU tacked on a second run in the first as Hart scored on a wild pitch after doubling and moving to third on a fly out by Josh Whitaker. The Owls though had to battle back after the Camels rallied to take a 3-2 lead after three innings.
KSU regained the lead, 4-3, on an RBI ground out by Hart and an RBI single by Whitaker in the fifth. Campbell took the lead back with two runs in the bottom of the frame.
Still down 5-4 entering the top of the ninth, the Owls caught a break with two men out as an error by Kevin Nelson allowed Ray Anderson to score from third with the tying run. After J.B. Johnson held the Camels scoreless in the bottom of the inning, the Owls took the lead, 6-5, in the 10th when Brandon Brown came home to score on a wild pitch. Campbell knotted the score again in the bottom of the frame as Nelson atoned for his error with the third straight single of the inning for the home team, tying the score.
The Owls would finally put the game out of reach in the 11th. A leadoff walk to Sean McClurken and a two-out walk to Stubblefield put runners on first and second for Hart. The freshman singled into center on a 3-1 offering from Ben Brown (2-3), plating McClurken with the winning run.
KSU starter Josh Carr was not involved in the decision after giving up five runs in 4.1 innings of work. Brad Long pitched 3.2 scoreless innings in relief, while Johnson improved to 3-0 on the year after pitching three innings, allowing one run.
The two teams are scheduled to finish their three-game series with the second game of a doubleheader later this afternoon.
