Box Score
Box Score (.pdf)
Spartanburg, S.C. – The Kennesaw State Owls scored seven runs in the fourth and seventh innings as they defeated USC Upstate 14-9 in Atlantic Sun Conference play on Sunday at Harley Park.
Kennesaw State improves to 18-19 overall and 8-1 in league play after sweeping the weekend series. Upstate falls to 16-20 and 1-7.
The Spartans got on the board in the first inning as J.J. Shimko reached on a bunt single with one out and scored as a result of a Kennesaw State error. In the Upstate second, Brendan Brundage led off with a walk and advanced to second on a Daniel Fickas single. After a fielder's choice retired Fickas at second and moved Brundage to third, James Fowlkes hit his sixth home run of the season to give Upstate a 4-0 lead.
Charlie Carpenter led off the Spartan third inning with a triple and scored on a Devon Ortiz groundout to make the score 5-0 in favor of Upstate.
The Owls opened the fourth inning with seven consecutive hits and would score six of their runs as a result of those hits while taking advantage of three Spartan errors in the inning. The Owls plated their final run of the inning on a sacrifice fly.
Upstate reclaimed the lead in the home half of the inning with three runs. Shimko led off with a single and advanced to second on a Fowlkes base hit. Cody Brittain brought home Shimko and Fowlkes with a double before scoring on a Kennesaw State error. Brittain would score Upstate's ninth run of the game in the sixth inning as he reached on a one out single, stole second and scored on an Ortiz single.
Austin Upshaw led off the Kennesaw State seventh with a single and was retired on a fielder's choice. The Owls would load the bases after a single and a walk before a run scored on a hit batter. Grant Williams and David Chabut would each single and drive home a run before a two-run single by Corey Greeson. Brennan Morgan hit a two-run double with two outs for the final runs of the inning.
Fowlkes went 4-for-5, finishing a triple shy of the cycle while scoring two runs and driving in three. Brittain went 3-for-5 with two singles, a double, stolen base, two runs scored and two RBI. Ortiz went 2-for-4 with two singles and two RBI. Carpenter went 1-for-4 with a triple and run scored.
A total of seven Kennesaw State players finished with two hits, led by Morgan with two runs scored and three RBI.
Logan Hutchinson (5-1) earned the win as he allowed one run on two hits with a walk and a strikeout in one inning of work. Richie Lacell (0-4) took the loss, allowing three runs on three hits with three walks and four strikeouts in 2.1 innings.
Upstate welcomes Furman to Harley Park on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
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