By: By Jake Dorow
Score: #TEAMBLACK 6, #TEAMGOLD 3
Series: Black leads 1-0
Starting Pitching Matchup: Luke Torbert vs. Ryan Kennedy
Key Players: Terence Norman (3-for-4),
Matt Mixon (1-for-2, RBI),
Grant Williams (1-for-4, RBI),
Ryan Kennedy (3.1 IP, 1 ER),
AJ Willoughby (2-for-4, two runs scored),
Daniel Seres (2-for-4, RBI)
THE STORYLINE:
· The Kennesaw State baseball team kicked off its annual Black and Gold World Series on Tuesday afternoon at Stillwell Stadium as Team Black defeated Team Gold, 6-3, to take a 1-0 series lead.
. Black broke a 1-1 tie with a crooked five runs in a decisive fourth inning, proving to be the difference in Game 1.
· The two teams used a combined seven pitchers that allowed nine runs (five earned) on 14 hits throughout the day, with eight of the nine runs scored over the final three frames.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
· The starting pitching matchup between Gold and Black lived up to the hype as LHP
Ryan Kennedy (#TeamBlack) and RHP
Luke Torbert (#TeamGold) countered each other with strong outings.
· Kennedy led Black with 3.1 impressive innings, allowing just one earned run four hits and struck out four in his Black and Gold World Series debut.
· Torbert, who also made his debut, answered Kennedy with 3.1 innings of his own, allowing three runs on three hits and punched out two batters.
· A scoreless ballgame was broken when
Matt Mixon laid down an RBI squeeze bunt, scoring
Forrest Bramlett from third to give Black a 1-0 edge in the bottom of the second.
· After a scoreless third inning, Gold deadlocked the game at 1-1 when
Daniel Seres' --who finished the game 2-for-4--RBI ground out scored
AJ Willoughby, who scored two runs in the game, from third base in the top half of the fourth frame.
· Black went on to score a crooked five runs in the bottom half of the fourth, plating runs on a wild pitch, a pass ball, an RBI single off the bat of
Grant Williams and two unearned runs to push its lead to 6-1.
· Two runs in the top of the sixth highlighted by an RBI single from Seres and
Ryan Wesley's RBI hit by pitch with bases loaded to cut the deficit within 6-3.
·
Brison Finney, who earned the save Tuesday evening, pitched 1.1 impressive shutout relief innings, allowing two hits to guide Black to a 1-0 series lead.
UP NEXT
The Black and Gold World Series continues Wednesday afternoon at Stillwell Stadium. Game 2 will begin at approximately 3:30 p.m. and is open to the public. Follow @KSUOwlsBaseball for updates on pitching matchups throughout the week.
To keep up with the latest Kennesaw State baseball news follow the team on Twitter@KSUOwlNation and@KSUOwlsBaseball or by liking Kennesaw State University on Facebook.
- #GoKSUOwls -
