Box Score (.pdf)

Spartanburg, S.C. – The Kennesaw State Owls rallied from a 5-2 deficit to defeat the USC Upstate baseball team 6-5 in the A-Sun home opener for the Spartans on Friday night at Harley Park.

Kennesaw State improves to 16-19 overall and 6-1 in league play while Upstate falls to 16-18 and 1-5.

The Owls scored a pair of runs in the third inning as Corey Greeson stole home on a delayed steal and Austin Upshaw came home on a sacrifice fly.

The Spartans pushed four runs across in the fourth inning for a 4-2 lead. Charlie Carpenter began the inning with an infield single before Devon Ortiz was hit by a pitch and Anthony Vaglica reached on a bunt single to load the bases. Daniel Fickas reached on a chopper to third base as Carpenter would score on the play and Ortiz touched home thanks to a Kennesaw State throwing error. Vaglica would score on a wild pitch before Fickas scored on a J.J. Shimko sacrifice fly.

In the Upstate fifth, Cody Brittain reached on a one out single and advanced to third as a result of an errant pickoff throw. Carpenter brought home Brittain on a double down the right field line to make the score 5-2.

The Owls began the seventh inning with a Jeremy Howell single followed by a groundout and a pair of singles to load the bases. Griffin Helms was hit by a pitch to bring the Owls within 5-3, followed by an Upshaw two-run single to tie the game. Elijah Willingham got out of the inning with a strikeout and a groundout to keep the game tied at 5.

Jordan Getzelman opened the eighth inning with a single to left field and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Getzelman advanced to third on a flyout to right field before scoring the go-ahead run on a Greeson single.

The Spartans had runners at the corners with two outs in the eighth inning before a strikeout ended the frame.

Carpenter finished 3-for-4 with two singles, a double, run scored and an RBI. Fickas went 2-for-4 with two singles, a run scored and RBI. Brittain went 2-for-4 with two singles and a run scored. Shimko went 1-for-4 with a single, sacrifice fly and RBI.

Upshaw went 4-for-4 with four singles, a run scored and two RBI. Greeson went 2-for-5 with two singles, two runs scored and an RBI.

Logan Hutchinson improved to 4-1 after striking out two batters in an inning of work. Willingham (1-1) took the loss after he allowed one run on one hit with a walk and a strikeout in 1.1 innings. Erich Stahl (6) recorded the save with two strikeouts in 0.2 innings.

The series continues tomorrow at 2 p.m.

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