By: KSU Sports Information
Box Score
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – The Kennesaw State baseball team fell 3-2 in a heartbreaking loss to the No. 9 ranked Georgia Bulldogs on a walk-off bases loaded hit on Tuesday at Coolray Field.
The Bulldogs scored the games first run, as Connor Welton reached on an error by
Andy Almonte and later scored on a Levi Hyams sacrifice fly. Kennesaw would answer right back in the top of the second inning as
Ronnie Freeman reached on a leadoff single through the third base hole. Advancing to third on an
Andy Chriscaden single to right,
Chris McGowan drove a sacrifice fly to the right field warning track that allowed Freeman to jog home and tie the game 1-1.
Freshman starter Nathan Harsh pitched an outstanding 3.2 innings, allowing only one hit and an unearned run to score. Finding relief in the fourth inning by
Justin McCalvin, McCalvin and the Owls bullpen held the Bulldogs to just one hit through the sixth inning.
KSU would regain the lead in the seventh with a two out rally that began with a
Max Pentecost single. The next three Owls would all walk as
Aaron Dobbs picked up the RBI that gave the Black and Gold a 2-1 advantage.
In the top half of the inning, UGA’s Peter Verdin opened with a base hit and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Curt Powell. Head coach
Mike Sansing would then call on
Zak Griffith, the Owls fifth relief pitcher to face the left-handed hitting Welton. On the first pitch Welton saw, the lefty drove a RBI double down the left field line to score Verdin and knot the game up, 2-2.
Griffith would return to the mound in the ninth, but after an error that opened the frame, and two intentional walks, Sansing would again go to the bullpen as he called on closer James Connell. Facing Kyle Farmer, the Bulldogs shortstop turned on a 2-1 pitch that was sent into right field and gave UGA a 3-2 victory.
Griffith took his first loss of the season in the defeat as Blake Dieterich picked up his third win of the season.
Tuesday’s game was apart of the Gwinnett Baseball Classic, sponsored by the Children’s HealthCare of Atlanta. Proceeds of Tuesday's game benefitted "The Kasyn Cares Fund" at the Aflac Cancer Center of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA).
The Owls return to action on Friday as they travel to Georgia State to take on the Panthers, before returning home to play State on Saturday and Sunday. For updates on the weekend series, you can follow the team on Twitter @KSUOwlsBaseball.
