(from the KSU and FMU SID offices)

KENNESAW, GA -- Ninth-ranked Kennesaw State University swept a Peach Belt Conference baseball doubleheader from tough-luck Francis Marion University on Saturday (Feb. 19) at Stillwell Stadium, winning both contests in the Owls' final at bat.  KSU won the opener 8-7 in 10 innings, before taking game two 5-4.

FMU drops to 7-4 overall and 1-4 in the PBC, with all four defeats coming at the hands of nationally ranked squads.

KSU senior relief pitcher Brent Jackson (4-0) was the beneficiary of the Owls offense  on Saturday, getting a win in the first game after facing just one batter and winning the nightcap after giving up two runs in the seventh to blow a 4-2 lead.

In the first game, both teams went scoreless through the first four innings of the game before the Owls (8-1, 2-0) put three runs on the board in the bottom of the fifth. Matt Nelson (3-for-5) led the inning off with a single to left and designated hitter Derrick Tucker (2-for-2) drew a walk. Jeremy Brotherton (1-for-4) pushed the runners to second and third with a sacrifice.

Adrian Colton (2-for-6) grounded out to second against the drawn in infield, and the Patriots seemed to have avoided trouble when Scott Hendrix (0-for-4) popped up to the left side of the infield. But confusion between Patriot shortstop Jason Weaver and third baseman Omar Quiles allowed the ball to drop safely and two runs scored on the error. Kevin Gergel (1-for-5) followed with a single to right center to move Hendrix to third, and Ryan Apple (1-for-5) singled to right to bring in Hendrix and give KSU a 3-0 lead.

The Patriots (7-4, 0-2) answered in the top of the sixth with a three-run homer by Luke Ogletree (1-for-4) that brought in Quentin Davis (3-for-5) and Weaver (1-for-6), who had both singled to reach.

Michael Ward (2-for-4) followed with a single to center, and Stan Markle (1-for-2) was hit by a pitch. Quiles (1-for-3) doubled down the left field line off reliever Travis King to bring in Ward and Markle to give the Patriots a 5-3 lead.

The Owls responded in the bottom of the sixth with three runs to regain the lead. With the bases loaded, Colton doubles down the right field line to score Ryan Perry and Nelson, and Hendrix had a sac fly to left that brought in Brotherton.

Francis Marion regained the lead in the top of the seventh as Danny Mantonelli (1-for-5) singled to start a two-out rally. Ogletree drew a walk, and Ward doubled to center, driving in both runners to give FMU a 7-6 lead.

In the bottom of the eighth, Nelson led off the inning with a double down the right field line. He later came in to score to force extra innings on a single by Tucker in the right center gap.

In the last of the 10th frame, Tucker singled and Colton followed with a hit to right. Hendrix grounded into a potential double play, but the throw to first by second baseman Bert Rollins (0-for-5) was high and Tucker came around to score on the error for the win.

In the nightcap, Francis Marion started off quickly with a run in the first. Weaver doubled and Ogletree singled to right later in the inning to drive in Weaver. In the top of the third, Weaver doubled to left center, and Ogletree collected another RBI with a single to right center.

KSU finally got on the board in the bottom of the fifth. John Kokotaljo (1-for-1) drew a walk, and Colton (2-for-4) singled to center. The pair advanced to third and second on an errant pickoff attempt, and Kokotaljo scored on a wild pitch. Scott Hendrix (0-for-3) drew a walk before Kevin Gergel (1-for-3) blasted a three-run homer to right to give the Owls a 4-2 lead.

KSU carried that lead to the seventh when Jackson came on in relief. Quiles singled to bring in a pair of runs to tie the score after Jackson gave up a hit and a pair of walks that loaded the bases.

Jackson got the win on the mound after blowing the save as his offense bailed him out in the bottom of the seventh. Kokotaljo led off with a walk, and Brotherton and Colton each reached on bunt singles to load the bases. Tucker followed with a liner over the drawn in outfield to bring in Kokotaljo with the game-winner.

The two teams will conclude their three-game series on Sunday afternoon with a 1 p.m. single-game.