By: KSU Sports Information
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – After coming from behind in the first two games of the series, there just wasn’t enough magic left for Kennesaw State on Saturday afternoon as the ETSU Buccaneers stopped the Owls, 7-3, in the series finale at Cardinal Park.
On a sun-drenched afternoon, Kennesaw State (24-19, 11-9 A-Sun) saw its three-game winning streak come to an end, even though they fought back from a two-run deficit for the second time in three games. ETSU, meanwhile, snapped its six-game losing streak while also breaking its five-game conference slide.
The Buccaneers (23-15, 12-10 A-Sun), got on the board in the second inning when, with one out, Josh Carr (3-5) hit Dylan Pratt with a pitch and walked Kerry Doane. Matthew Scruggs drove in a run with a single to center field that Ray Anderson misplayed as the runners moved up to second and third. Clinton Freeman promptly followed with a sacrifice fly for a 2-0 ETSU lead.
As has been the case this series, the Owls got back in the game via a three-run home run. In the third inning, after a triple by Aaron Dobbs and a walk to Ronnie Freeman, Andy Chriscaden hit an opposite field, three-run homer to give the Owls the lead. The homer was Chriscaden’s 12th of the year and his third in four games as he increased his RBI total to 55, with 10 coming in the last four games.
Paul Hoilman homered for the second straight game as he led off the fourth inning with the Buccaneers sixth home run of the weekend. The Bucs senior first baseman, who drove in four runs on the day, would homer again in the bottom of the eighth inning, a two-run shot off Sean Fream that gave the Bucs a 7-3 advantage.
East Tennessee State would get to Carr in the sixth inning as they took the lead with two runs. Derek Trent led off the inning with a single to left, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored when Hoilman doubled down the left field line. After a strikeout and a pop up to third base, the Bucs added to their lead when Scruggs singled trough the left side.
Sean McClurken extended his hitting streak to seven games with a single to lead off the ninth inning while Dobbs had two hits, finishing the series with seven hits. Sean Fream threw the final two and one-third innings, allowing a pair of runs.
Kennesaw State will be back at Stillwell Stadium on Monday evening when they host Mercer in a non-conference game beginning at 6:00 p.m.
