Box Score (PDF)

Kennesaw, Ga. – Kennesaw State scored five runs in the fifth and sixth in the seventh to turn deficits into leads en route to 12-8 victory over USC Upstate Sunday in the rubber game of a three-game series from Stillwell Stadium.

Chris Erwin had three hits and scored two runs and Kal Simmons had four RBIs to lead a Kennesaw State offense that finished with 13 hits.

Daniel Fickas tied a career-high with four hits to help Upstate collect at least 10 hits in four of its last five games.

Unlike the previous two games in the series, USC Upstate wasted no time in getting its offense on track, as the Spartans pushed across two runs in the top of the first inning. Fickas opened the game with a single into right-centerfield and moved to second when Erik Samples walked. After James Fowlkes loaded the bases with a bunt single, Charlie Carpenter smacked a single through the left side to drive in Fickas from third. Beaver put the Spartans ahead by two when his groundout allowed Samples to score his team-leading 26th run of the season.

Erwin cut the Upstate lead in half in the bottom half with an RBI single to right field that scored Corey Greeson from second. Spartan right fielder Cody Brittain appeared to throw Greeson out at home, but home plate umpire Donald Gilmore ruled Greeson avoided the tag by Jordan Miller.

Beaver put Upstate ahead 3-1 with an RBI single in the third inning for his ninth RBI of the season. Samples reached base after being hit by a pitch and advanced to second when Fowlkes followed with a walk. The Spartans tacked on an unearned run in the fourth on a fielding error by Simmons at shortstop to extend their lead to 4-1.

Kennesaw State erupted for five runs in the fifth inning to take its first lead of the game. Taylor Allum drove in the first run with a single to shortstop, and Grant Williams plated a pair with a line drive up the middle to tie the game. Griffin Helms put the Owls ahead 5-4 with an RBI single to left before Greeson delivered a sacrifice fly two batters later to account for the final run.

Upstate rallied for four runs in the seventh inning to regain the lead and go ahead 8-6. Beaver laced a one-out double to right-centerfield and scampered to third on an infield hit by Brittain. Jaden Savage produced the first run of the frame when his pop up into shallow left was misplayed and dropped in between three defenders. Miller followed with an RBI single through the left side before Dowling delivered an RBI single to center to give Upstate the lead. Fickas capped the scoring when he produced a groundout to the right side to drive in Miller from third.

The lead evaporated in the bottom half when the Owls loaded the bases and Simmons hit a grand slam for his team-leading eighth home run of the season to put Kennesaw State ahead 10-8. The Owls added two more runs late in the inning on an RBI single by Allum.

Mason Ward (2-0) pitched 0.2 innings in relief of starter AJ Moore and earned the victory. Upstate relief pitcher Tresco Shannon (0-2) took the loss.

Upstate returns to the diamond Tuesday at 6 p.m. when the Spartans host College of Charleston from Harley Park.

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