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Georgia Tech (4-4) fell to to Kennesaw State (6-4) this afternoon for only the second time in school history at home. Fr. Mason Ward gets the win (1-0) for the Owls while Sr. starter turned reliever Sr. Dusty Isaacs gets pegged with the loss (2-1). Fr. Elliott Barzilli had a strong day at the plate (3-5, 2B, RBI) but the Jackets could not get it done.
With a man on second and one out, Isaacs was called on to keep the Owls off the board in the 11, but threw a wild pitch, advancing KSU SS Kal Simmons, who would score off an ill-advised throw by Soph. C Grant Wruble. So. Kendall Hawkins would come in for KSU in the bottom of the inning to shut the door on the Jackets and earn his first S of the year, but back to back hits by Fr. Kennan Innis and Ryan Peurifoy would tie the game up at 3. However, the error bug would strike Tech yet again, after Fr. Eric Knox misplayed a ball in right field allowing KSU two tally up their final two runs to go up 5-3.
The Jackets stayed quiet until the 9th inning when Barzilli (have I mentioned this kid is good yet?) smoked a double off Sr. Closer James Connell down the left field line with one out. From there, things got pretty hectic. After Sr. Mott Hyde fans for the second out, Sr. Mitch Earnest comes on for starting C Fr. Arden Pabst. Earnest would reach on a bad fielding mistake by KSU SS Simmons that should have ended the game. With two on, two outs, Tech coach Danny Hall made an interesting switch, putting in the speedster Jr. DeAndre Smelter (who also plays WR for CPJ) for Earnest. Innis would bunt down the line and score Barzilli after a second miscue by KSU as Simmons threw to an invisible 2B, to tie the game up, 2-2.
Scoring started early for the Owls as the leaders of the team, Jr. Jacob Bruce singled out to right and Sr. Bo Way, two batters later, pushing a double into the gap to score him. Ryan would settle in until the 4th inning, where he gave up consecutive singles to Jr. Max Pentecost and Way. After fanning one more batter, Ryan gave way to Fr. Tanner Shelton, who would give up a sacrifice and tag Ryan with his second run of the day.
Sometime next week, I'll be looking into the sabers of this team and we shall see where this team is struggling, and where they are excelling (numbers wise anyways).
