Pierce County seniors Will Lowman and Nate Gay signed letters-of-intent Monday afternoon to continue their baseball careers on the collegiate level.

Lowman, a left-handed pitcher and centerfielder will be playing for the Owls at Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, GA.

Gay is taking his catching talents to Tennessee Tech where he will be playing for the Golden Eagles in Cookeville, TN.

Joining Will and Nate (l to r) are PCHS assistant coaches Brett Brooker and Jamie Ammons, head coach Greg Gay, PCHS atletic director Sean Pender and PCHS principal Anthony Smith.

The twosome join a short list of PCHS alum to play Division I baseball, only Eric Lairsey and Brett DeLoach (both with Georgia) had previously signed to play major college baseball.

Timothy Neil "Timmy" Lowman

Birth date: March 13, 1970
Death date: April 01, 2012

Mr. Timothy Neil “Timmy” Lowman, 42 of Patterson, passed away Sunday afternoon (April 1, 2012) at the Wayne Memorial Hospital following a courageous two year battle with pancreatic cancer. Timmy fought the good fight and won the race.

Born in Jesup on March 13, 1970, Mr. Lowman was a lifelong resident of Pierce County and was an estimator for Southeast Pipe. He loved coaching and mentoring young children in local recreational sports, and was an avid hunter. Mr. Lowman was a member of Bridge Community Church where he served as the youth leader. He will be remembered as a loving husband and father.

He was a son of the late Daniel Lloyd Lowman.

Survivors include his wife of 18 years, Misty Lee Bryson Lowman of Patterson; two children, William Timothy Lowman and Elizabeth Neilee Lowman both of Patterson; his paternal grandmother, Jeanette Lowman of Patterson; his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Bill & Dee Bryson of Waycross; a brother-in-law, Bo (Jennifer) Bryson and their children, Eilam, Kale and Fallon all of Lincoln, NE; his aunts and uncles, Linda Herrin of Brantley County, David Herrin of Patterson and Casey (John) Smith of Waycross; his half-sister, Sabrina (David) Stevens of Offerman; his cousins, Abigail (Josh) Taylor, Adam (Miranda) Herrin, Gil Smith, Jacob Smith and Michael Smith and several other relatives and numerous friends.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of South Georgia, 117 Drennon Drive, Jesup, Georgia 31545 or to the Pierce County Dug Out Club, Pierce County High School, C/O Greg Gay, 4850 County Farm Road, Blackshear, GA 31516.

The family will receive friends from 6 until 9 o’clock Monday evening, April 2, 2012, at Pearson-Dial Funeral Home.

Funeral services for Mr. Lowman will be held at 11:00 o’clock Tuesday morning, April 3, 2012, at the First Baptist Church.

Interment will be in the Piney Grove Cemetery in Appling County.

Timmy Lowman is remembered this week as a devoted family man and “father fi gure” to many Pierce County youths.

The long-time recreation coach and youth mentor passed away Sunday afternoon at Wayne Memorial Hospital in Jesup, following a lengthy battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 42.

“Timmy loved kids and sports,” says long-time friend Dave Rowland. “Children and recreational sports gave him a chance to combine his two great loves.”

An estimator for Southeast Pipe by profession, Lowman volunteered countless hours as a coach and mentor to local youngsters. For over a decade, Lowman served as a coach for basketball, football and baseball at both the Blackshear and Patterson Recreation Departments.

He was also a member of Bridge Community Church where he served as a youth leader.

“He felt it was important for youngsters — especially young men — to have a good, male role model,” recalls Rowland. “He certainly was that.”

Rowland recalls Lowman was a loving family man. “He was a great husband to Misty and a great dad to Will and Neilee,” he says.

Another long-time friend, Kevin Allen, had been buddies with Lowman since high school. “He enjoyed passing his knowledge on to kids and the kids loved him and respected him. He was a father figure to them,” he says.

Allen says that was especially true of his son, Kyler’s, relationship with Lowman. “Kyler thought of him as his second father,” Allen recalls.

Rowland and Allen say Lowman was witty and never at a loss for words. He recalls his own words once got him in over his head.

“I had promised Timmy one deer season that if he killed one, I’d help him,” he says. Sure enough, Lowman, an avid hunter and fisherman, killed a deer.

Rowland was fetched out of a weekly Bible Study class to help his friend.
“It actually took four of us, Jeff and Jordan DuPont, my son, (the late) Holt (Rowland) and myself to go get him,” he says. “It took five hours. We had to chase down one of his dogs and then we got our truck stuck.”

Funny stories like that were commonplace among Lowman’s friends.

“He once called an umpire during a game,” Allen relates, laughing at the memory.

Lowman had heard the umpire was getting married and wanted to “sing” his congratulations. “He sang the entire song “Married Man” from the ‘Jon Boy and Billy’ morning show on the umpire’s voicemail,” he says.

Allen says Lowman was an inspiration to family and friends. “He was a good man who loved the Lord,” he says.

Funeral services for Lowman were held at 11 a.m. Tuesday from First Baptist Church.

The Kennesaw State baseball team began the fall season on Thursday and will repeat on Friday with another intra-squad game.  The Owls, who will take to the field for the 22nd year under the direction of head coach Mike Sansing, will begin on Friday at 2 p.m.

The Owls will condition and practice from now through mid-October. Practices will take place at Stillwell Stadium, with practices being open to the public.

This season the Owls will return 26 players from last season’s squad and will showcase 14 new additions to the team. Kennesaw State finished the 2012 season 34-25 after falling in the Atlantic Sun Conference Championship game to Belmont.

Winning their first-ever Division I post-season game, the Black and Gold return all but one pitcher from last year’s staff. With the addition of 20th round pick Jordan Hilyer and the return of 22nd round selection
Travis Dean to accompany seniors Kevin Kyle, Alan Buesnitz and James Connell, the team looks poised for another deep run.

While the offense saw their top four producers from 2012 get drafted or graduate, upper classman Peyton Hart, Chris McGowan and Andy Almonte still leave much to be excited about. Combing their leadership with the young talent of Max Pentecost, Jacob Bruce and freshmen Alex Liquori and Kal Simmons, 2013 looks to be another thrilling year at the Shake.

2012 PCHS graduate Will Lowman is shown second from the left sitting on the bottom row.

The following was posted on the Kennesaw State University baseball website about 2011 PCHS graduate Will Lowman:

Position: Pitcher
Height: 5-11
Weight: 180
Class: Freshman
Hometown: Patterson, Ga.
High School: Pierce County HS

Prep Career (Pierce County HS) 
2012 Georgia Dugout Club Top 100 selection... Member of back-to-back elite 8 teams at Pierce County HS... All-Region Selection... Recorded 90k’s in 62 innings pitched with a 2.42 ERA in 2010.
 
Sansing on Lowman:
"Will is a very polished LHP that features a mid 80’s fastball with plus movement and a swing and miss curve ball that will be an out pitch at the collegiate level.  Our staff feels that he has a chance to experience a jump in velocity and has the potential to be an impact left-handed arm for us. Will is a model citizen that spends his spare time heavily involved in his youth group and the FCA. He has been on mission trips to the Dominican Republic, volunteered at instructional camps, and helped with the Miracle League.  We are honored and proud to have him representing our program."

Also of interest will be the fact that Will's Owl's will travel to Athens on February 20th to play Brett DeLoach's Bulldogs. The two teams will play again in Kennesaw on April 2, 2013. 

Coach Greg Gay and Will Lowman received State Honors in AA GHSA Baseball in Atlanta, GA, this past Saturday, January 19^th. 

Lowman, a 2012 graduate of PCHS and baseball alumni, received the AA State Georgia Dugout Club Baseball Player of the Year for the 2012 season. Coach Gay received the 2012 AA State Coach of the Year selected by the Dugout Club. Both awards were shared with identical awards given to Appling County’s Byron Buxton, #2 pick overall in the 2012 MLB draft, and Head Coach Jeremy Smith of Appling County. The GA Dugout Club selects these awards for a player and coach of each of the State Champs and coach of each of the state champ runner-up.

“We are really proud for Lowman to have been selected. It says a lot for what kind of player he is. It also says a great deal about his teammates. We had several players that were worthy of this award as well,” said Coach Gay.  Gay also added, “As far as the Coach of the Year, it should say coaching staff of the year. We have some hard working coaches and players who are credited for this award.”

Shown in the picture from left to right is PCHS assistant coach Jamie Ammons, head coach Greg Gay, Will Lowman, Neile Lowman and Mysti Lowman.

Eugene Vasquez was 3-for-4 with three RBI, and the Waynesboro Generals got just enough pitching to defeat the Aldie Senators, 8-6, in Game 1 of the best-of-three first-round Valley League playoff series at Kate Collins Field Tuesday night.

Kyle Pitts also had three hits for Waynesboro, and Garrett Russini had two hits and scored three runs for the Generals, who have now won seven straight games.

Jeff Schank (5-0) got the win despite getting hit hard for the first time in the summer season, giving up four runs on 12 hits in five innings of work. Will Lowman (Kennesaw State University, PCHS 2012) picked up his first save of the summer with a scoreless ninth.

Chad Martin (1-3) took the loss for Aldie, giving up five runs, four of them earned, on eight hits in five innings. Pat Wright hit his first homer of the season, a two-run shot in the eighth, for the Senators.

The series moves to Aldie for Game 2, with the first pitch scheduled for 7:30 p.m. An Aldie win would force a deciding Game 3 in Waynesboro on Thursday night. A Waynesboro win would put the defending VBL champs into the league semifinals.

Waynesboro Generals hold off late Covington rally, advance to Valley League championship series.  

Covington had the go-ahead run on first base with nobody out in the ninth, but Waynesboro Generals reliever Will Lowman (Kennesaw State University, PCHS 2012) was able to get out of the two-on, no-out jam, and the Generals advanced to the Valley League championship series with a 4-3 win over the ‘Jacks in front of 825 fans at Kate Collins Field Sunday night.

Lowman got the final three outs in relief of starter Kevin Doherty, who was brilliant in his eight-plus-inning effort, allowing three runs on six hits, striking out five and issuing no walks. The Generals offense staked Doherty to the early lead, getting two in the first on a run-scoring double by Cole Gruber and an RBI single by Mike McClellan, and adding runs on a Mike Marcinko RBI single in the second and another McClellan RBI single in the third that made it 4-0 Waynesboro. But that was it for Waynesboro, which knocked out 13 base hits, but also had two innings end with runners thrown out at home and left 11 runners on base.

Covington didn’t get its first hit off Doherty until one out in the fourth, and didn’t get on the board until the seventh, on a Hayden Platt RBI single that cut the lead to 4-1. A Demetrius Moorer RBI triple in the eighth cut the margin to 4-2, setting the stage for the Covington ninth, which started with Doherty hitting Matt O’Neil with an 0-2 fastball to put the leadoff man on. Lowman came in for Doherty, and promptly gave up a fly-ball single to center to Platt to put two on with no out. A Lowman wild pitch allowed the runners to advance to second and third, and a Grant McKown grounder was misplayed by third baseman Tyler Orris, allowing pinch-runner Bernard Brito to score, cutting the lead to 4-3.

There were still runners on first and second and no outs at this point, but Lowman settled down, striking out Brent James for the first out, getting Jonathan Flores to pop out for the second out, and then inducing a grounder to third off the bat of Shane Castro that Orris ran to the third-base bag for the force-out to end the ballgame.

The win pushes Waynesboro into the Valley League championship series for the second consecutive year, where the Generals will try to defend the VBL title against the Charles Town Cannons. Game 1 is set for 7 p.m. Monday at Kate Collins Field, with Game 2 at Charles Town on Tuesday at 7 p.m. A deciding Game 3, if necessary, will be back in Waynesboro on Wednesday.

 

CHAMPS AGAIN! Waynesboro Generals rally, top Charles Town, 7-6, to capture Valley League title. 

Mike Marcinko hit a 1-0 pitch down the left-field line to knock in pinch-runner Dan Neff with two outs in the ninth inning, completing a Waynesboro Generals rally to a 7-6 win over the Charles Town Cannons in the deciding Game 3 of the Valley League championship series.

Marcinko had committed two of Waynesboro’s six errors in a four-run Cannons first, and Charles Town led 5-0 with nobody out in the top of the second a night after whitewashing the Generals 8-0 in a dominating Game 2 win. Jeff Schank came in at that point to relieve starter Micah Gorman, and was lights out, giving up an unearned run in six innings, allowing five hits and two walks while racking up six strikeouts.

With Schank settling things down in the top of innings, the offense had time to come alive in the bottoms, getting two in the third on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch to Mike McClellan and a sacrifice-fly RBI by Eugene Vasquez, then adding four more in the fourth on a trio of two-out RBI hits by Tyler Orris, Cole Gruber and a two-run single by Vasquez that knotted the game at 6-6.

And then from there, the zeroes made their appearance, with the next big scoring threat of the game coming in the top of the eighth, when Steve Kerr, who went 5-for-6 on the night, greeted reliever Will Lowman (Kennesaw State University, PCHS 2012) with a double to left-center to lead off the eighth, then reached third on a wild pitch to the next hitter, Charlie Pal. That brought the Waynesboro infield in all the way around, and Pal grounded sharply to Marcinko, who threw home to nab Kerr at the plate with a big first out of the inning.

Lowman then had to get out of a bases-loaded, two-out jam later in the eighth, getting the final out on a fielder’s choice by Austin Bream.

Garrett Russini grounded to second with two runners on to end a Generals rally in the bottom of the eight, and then Lowman got back into another jam in the ninth, walking Will Endris with two outs and then giving up a single to Kerr to put runners on the corners.

Griffin Krieg, the Game 1 starter and winner, came in to face Pal, and after Kerr took second on a defensive indifference play, induced an inning-ending grounder to Marcinko at short to get out of the threat.

Kyle Pitts led off the bottom of the ninth with a grounder in the hole between first and second, which Pal was able to get to, but the second baseman had trouble getting the ball out of his glove, allowing Pitts to reach on an error. Neff came in to pinch-run, and reached second on a sacrifice by Kevin Krupp, and then advanced to third on a grounder to second by Travis Naraine.

That set up the heroics from Marcinko, who took the 1-0 pitch from Jacob Anthony down the line in left for the walkoff.

Anthony (3-3) took the loss despite putting in a solid effort, giving up a run on four hits in four innings of relief.

Krieg (5-0) got the win for Waynesboro, which posted its first back-to-back Valley League championship seasons in the team’s 62-year history in VBL play.

 

 

Less than three months removed for their first ever Super Regional appearance, the Kennesaw State baseball team returned to the field on Tuesday, beginning individual workouts in preparation for the 2015 season.
 
"It's always good to get the guys back on the field," said head coach Mike Sansing. "The guys are really excited to get back out there and the energy so far has been outstanding."
 
"Our hitters have shown up big so far," added Sansing. "We've only been at it a few days and we haven't had any live bullpens, but you can absolutely see how much stronger some of them have gotten."
 
The Owls are coming off of a season that saw them ranked No. 13 in the nation while earning the school's first ever Atlantic Sun Conference and NCAA Regional Championships.
 
Individual workouts will go through the fall before team activities begin this winter with the 2015 regular season opener in February.

Last year for KSU, Will Lowman (PCHS 2012) saw action in 11 games during the 2014 season, earning his first ever collegiate start at Georgia State (3/4) in which he allowed just one hit with three strikeouts... Put in 10 total innings of work, giving up just seven hits with nine strikeouts... Held batters to a .212 batting average against... Struck out a career-best four batters during a contest against ACC rival Georgia Tech (3/18).

KENNESAW, Ga. – The Kennesaw State Baseball team held its annual Black and Gold World Series on Oct. 20-22, concluding the team's five weeks of fall practice as the Owls get in gear for the 2015 campaign.

The roster was split up into two teams with the black team defeating the gold team two games to one during the three-game series.

"This is always a great culmination to the fall for us," Kennesaw State Head Coach Mike Sansing said. "We try to tie it in with the MLB World Series every year and it is something our guys really look forward to. I really enjoyed watching the competiveness in our players and coaches during this series."

The series consisted of three seven-inning games with the black team winning game one 6-3. The gold team then came out and won game two, 2-1, before the black team won the decisive game three, 7-1, to conclude the series.

Mason Ward picked up the win for the black team in game one. Tony Dibrell then tossed 3.1 innings allowing just one hit and no runs while striking out three in relief of Ward. Logan Hutchinson picked up the save.

Ward was aided by Kal Simmons who was 2-4 with two RBIs and a run scored. Catcher Griffin Helms collected two hits and an RBI for the black team. All three of the gold's teams runs in game one came on a home run by Taylor Allum.

In game two, the gold team was led by solid pitching from Will Lowman (PCHS 2011), who gave up just two hits and a run while striking out five. Charles Goedkte picked up the win on the mound in relief. Goedtke gave up no hits and struck out 3 over the final two innings. Offensively, the gold team was led by Alex Liquoriwho was 2-2 at the plate. Justin Motley helped break a 1-1 tie with a walk-off RBI double in the bottom of the seventh.

In the third and final game it was righty AJ Moore who picked up the win on the mound for the Black team, tossing four innings and giving up just a hit and a run while striking out three. Simmons and Jeremy Howell both were 2-3 with a double, each scoring a pair of runs.

Simmons was named MVP of the series going 5-10 with four RBI and four runs scored.
 
"I thought Kal (Simmons) did some really nice things both offensively and defensively in the series," Sansing said.

The series was highlighted by thee members of the KSU athletics staff who were chosen to throw out the first pitch prior to each of the three games.

Athletics Academic Assistant Pauline Glenn threw out the first pitch before game one with Assistant Director of Athletics Communications Brandon Scardigli  throwing out the first pitch before game two and Associate Athletics Director for Compliance Heath Senour throwing out the first pitch before game three.

"It's a give back for people who do so much for our program throughout the year," Sansing said of having members of this support staff toss out the ceremonial pitch, "It is a small way for us to say thank you and let them know we appreciate them."

The Owls will return to the field in January to continue prep for 2015 Season which begins in February.

To keep up with the latest Kennesaw State baseball news follow the team on Twitter @KSUOwlNation and @KSUOwlsBaseball or by liking Kennesaw State University on Facebook.

 

 

 

Kennesaw, Ga. – The Kennesaw State baseball team lost to the University of Connecticut Saturday (Feb. 28) afternoon by a 7-0 score, dropping the second game of the weekend series to the Huskies. Travis Bergen earned his third start of the season –second at Stillwell Stadium—and went seven strong innings, while Erwin and Chris McGowan recorded a hit each in the game.

The Owls (5-4) dropped their third consecutive game, while the Huskies (4-4) now have won three straight non-conference games to get back to .500.

The left-handed matchup between Bergen and UCONN's Anthony Kal was set early on, as both pitchers allowed only three hits combined through the first four innings of the game. Kal, who entered the game with a 1.20 ERA, did not allow a hit until McGowan ripped a ball up the middle in the fifth inning.

"Their guy threw the ball extremely well against us today," head coach Mike Sansing said. "Offensively we didn't threaten and struggled to have an opportunity to do anything and put the ball in play."

Bergen, however, answered Kal's strong pitching early on. The left-handed pitcher from McDonough, Georgia, retired the first eight of nine Husky batters to keep UCONN off the board through the first three innings.

The Huskies scored first for the second consecutive game in the fourth inning. Blake Davey hit a three-run homer over the left field wall to give UCONN a 3-0 lead. The lead proved to be enough for Kay, as the lefty went eight innings allowing no runs while striking out eight.

"I thought Bergen threw the ball well," Sansing said. "He had a couple of pitches that got away from him and those home runs were costly."

Freshman AJ Moore and Will Lowman (PCHS 2012) relieved Bergen of his duties in the eighth and ninth innings, respectively. Moore allowed one earned run and struck out two batters, while Lowman gave up an unearned run and struck out two Husky batters in his second appearance of the season.

The Owls will turn around and take on UCONN in the third and final game of the weekend series Sunday (March 1) afternoon. The game is scheduled to play at 12 p.m. ET at Stillwell Stadium.

Source: http://www.ksuowls.com/news/2015/2/28/BB_0228151801.aspx?path=baseball 

 

 

Cullowhee, N.C. – The Kennesaw State baseball program dropped a back-and-forth, midweek battle to Western Carolina University Wednesday (March 18) evening, 5-4. It marked the fourth one-run game between the Owls and Catamounts in their 16th all-time meeting –and first one-run game since 2006. KSU moved to 9-10 overall on the season, while Western Carolina improved to 8-9.  

The two teams totaled three lead changes and one tie over the course of nine innings, as 11 different arms were showcased between the two clubs throughout the game –including six different arms for the Owls in the front end of the home-and-home midweek series.
 
The Catamounts struck first with a solo home run in the top of the first inning and added another run in the bottom of the fourth inning to take a quick 2-0 lead. But, Kennesaw State came back with three runs in the top half of the fifth inning to take 3-2 lead.
 
Colin Bennett, who finished the day 2-for-2 with a run scored, led off the fifth with a single to left field. Bennett, who also doubled in his first at bat, scored Kennesaw State's first run off freshman Griffin Helms' RBI triple, bringing Bennett home from first base to cut the lead in half.
 
Helms, who made his second start behind the dish, finished the day 2-for-4 with an RBI. It was the freshman's second multi-hit game of the season, with the first coming against Mercer on February 18.
 
The inning continued for the Owls when Justin Motley grounded out to second base, plating Helms from third base to tie the game at 2-2. Corey Greeson, who made his sixth start of the season, followed by doubling to right center field and eventually crossed home plate from a defensive error to take a one-run lead.
 
The inning set the stage for a back-and-forth battle for the remainder of the game, as the two teams scattered 10 hits and four runs over the final four frames.
 
After Western Carolina tied the game at 3-3 with a run in the bottom of the fifth, Kennesaw State got out of a key seventh inning with the Catamounts threatening to take the lead late in the game. Relievers Benjamin Bancroft and Will Lowman (PCHS 2012) recorded back-to-back strikeouts with runners on second and third to keep the game deadlocked at 3-3.
 
Bancroft and Lowman's key relief work pitched a scoreless seventh, not allowing a hit and no runs to keep the game tied. The appearance was the first for Bancroft this season, striking out the only batter he faced in a key matchup with now outs in the frame.
 
The momentum carried to the top half of the eighth, as two wild pitches from the Catamounts pitchers allowed Simmons –who led off the inning with a walk—to cross home plate, giving Kennesaw State a 4-3 edge.
 
However, Western Carolina plated the final two runs in the bottom half of the eighth to secure the its ninth win of the season.
 
Tony Dibrell made his first collegiate start on the mound, scattering four hits in 3.2 innings of work. He allowed two runs, with one earned throughout his time on the hill. Mason Ward, Jordan Versteeg and Nathan Harsh all made appearances for the Owls throughout the game.
 
KennesawState will return home for a three-game series against William & Mary on March 20-22. The Owls will begin the weekend with a 6 p.m. affair on Friday, before taking on the Tribe at 2 p.m. on Saturday and concluding the series with a 1 p.m. game Sunday afternoon.

Kennesaw, Ga.  – The Kennesaw State baseball program defeated William & Mary Friday (March 20) evening, 3-2, in the first of three non-conference games in front of 605 fans at Stillwell Stadium. The Owls backed Jordan Hillyer's gutsy performance on the mound to move to 10-10 on the season, and dropping the Tribe to 10-7 overall. 

Hillyer, a junior from Dacula, Georgia, controlled the game from the start, tossing 25 of his first 31 pitches for strikes. The righty allowed two hits in the first inning, but did not allow another base hit until the seventh frame.
 
"I thought he was dominating throughout the game," head coach Mike Sansing said. "He threw the ball extremely well and got some offensive help from his teammates."
 
Hillyer's strong effort began by retiring 13 of his first 16 batters faced, including seven strikeouts through the first six innings of play.
 
The Owls' offense proved to be beneficiary of the effort, plating the game's first run in the bottom half of the third inning. Corey Greeson, who finished the game 2-for-2 with a run scored, led off the frame with a double down the left field line – as the Calhoun, Georgia native reached base in all his at-bats. Chris Erwin –who entered the game with a team-leading .344 batting average –followed a Kal Simmons walk with an RBI single to plate Greeson from second.
 
Erwin's RBI single gave him 14 RBI on the season, which is tied for the most on the team, and 13th RBI over his last eight games. The RBI single also marked the 12th time this season the Owls have scored the game's first run, improving to 10-2 on the season when taking an early lead.
 
As Hillyer continued to roll on the mound by retiring the next six batters, Kennesaw State extended its lead in the bottom half of the fifth inning to 2-0. Freshman Grant Williams, who finished the game 2-for-3 with a pair of runs, led off the frame with a single to center field. Williams eventually crossed home plate from a defensive error to double KSU's lead.
 
Meanwhile, Hillyer held the Tribe in check until the top of the seventh when Ryder Miconi hit a game-tying two-run home run over the right field wall. It was the Tribe's only extra base hit of the game, as William & Mary entered the game ranked inside the top 15 in the nation with 47 extra base hits.  
 
Hillyer, however, bounced back with a scoreless eighth after Erwin's sacrifice fly ball in the bottom half of the seventh gave the Owls a slight 3-2 lead. The right-handed pitcher finished his night by striking out his final two batters, giving him a new career high 13 strikeouts.
 
"We have a long way to go this season, but I felt like he (Hillyer) was very strong late in the game with a lot of pitches thrown," Sansing said. In all, Hillyer (2-2) allowed two runs on four hits in 8.0 strong innings on the mound. The junior walked four and struck out 13.
 
"I felt great out there tonight. I located my pitches early and really got into a good groove," Hillyer said.
 
Leading by a run entering the ninth, the Owls gave the ball to junior Will Lowman (PCHS 2011). The Grayson, Georgia native allowed just one hit and no runs to secure the victory. It was Lowman's first career save to help the Owls snap a three-game losing skid.
 
Kennesaw State will return to action tomorrow (March 21) in a rescheduled doubleheader against William & Mary. The twinbill will begin at approximately 2 p.m. at Stillwell Stadium to conclude the three-game series. 

Kennesaw, GA - The Kennesaw State baseball program dropped its midweek game against Georgia Southern University on Tuesday (March 24) evening at Stillwell Stadium by a final score of 8-4. Seven different players recorded at least one hit on the night, while sophomore Chris Erwin led the Owls' offense, finishing the night 2-for-4 with an RBI in the losing effort. Kennesaw State fell to 12-11 overall on the season, while Georgia Southern improved to 15-11.

The Eagles, who averaged 4.9 runs per game entering the night, jumped on the Owls early by scoring two runs in three of the first five innings to pull ahead 6-0 after five and a half complete.
 
The Owls plated their first run in the bottom of the fifth, coming off the bat of Erwin. The sophomore from Grayson, Georgia singled to left field to bring home junior shortstop Kal Simmons from third. It marked Erwin's 16th RBI of the season, which trails only Simmons' team-leading 19 RBI. In fact, Erwin has recorded an RBI in five of his last eight games.
 
After the Eagles plated another run to push their lead to 7-1 after the top half of the seventh inning, KSU came back with a run of its own to pull within five once again. After Simmons reached on an error, Erwin followed with a double to the left field corner, giving junior teammate Brennan Morgan the opportunity to drive in his 14th RBI of the season. Morgan, who started behind the dish the KSU, hit a sacrifice fly ball to drive in the second run of the game.
 
The Owls then scored a pair of runs in the bottom half of the eighth to pull within' 8-4. Corey Greeson— who was named Atlantic Sun Player of the Week on Monday afternoon—, and finished the game with an RBI, hit a sacrifice fly ball to drive in freshman Grant Williams from third. Alex Liquori early scored in the inning off a wild pitch.

Four pitchers saw the mound for the Owls, including Logan Hutchinson, Brock Turner and Will Lowman (PCHS 2011) out of the bullpen. The three allowed a combined two runs on five hits, while striking out six batters.

KSU will return to the diamond Wednesday (March 25) evening in Athens, Georgia against in-state rival Georgia. The Owls and Bulldogs will play for the first of two scheduled games this season, with first pitch set for 5 p.m.

Kennesaw, GA - The Kennesaw State baseball team backed solid bullpen work with nine runs on 10 hits to defeat Western Carolina on Tuesday (March 31) evening at Stillwell Stadium, 9-2. It marked the second game of the home-and-home series between the Owls (15-13) and the Catamounts (12-13), concluding the regular-season series.

Kennesaw State's bullpen tossed four strong innings, allowing just two hits and no runs while striking out eight Catamount batters. Kendall Hawkins, Mason Ward, Tony Dibrell and Will Lowman (PCHS 2011) all come out of the bullpen to close the door in Tuesday's midweek showdown with WCU.

"Our key tonight was the bullpen. Everyone who came out of the bullpen had a clean inning and threw strikes," head coach Mike Sansing said. "It was impressive to me to see that improvement."

The four relievers picked up Chris Erwin's solid start –his second of the season—after the left-handed pitcher went 5.0 innings, scattering seven hits and two earned runs. The sophomore, who hails from Grayson, GA, picked up his second win of the season and now sits at an even 2-2 in nine appearances.

"Chris was throwing extremely well tonight. I thought he threw well and controlled both sides of the plate," Sansing said. "I thought he threw really well tonight."

The Owls improved to 13-2 on the season when scoring first, plating a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning. Corey Greeson—who led off the inning with a walk—eventually scored from third base off a defensive error. Kal Simmons, who finished the game 2-for-3 with two RBI, also crossed home plate later in the inning from a pass ball, giving the Owls an early 2-0 lead.

After Erwin tossed scoreless innings in the third and fourth, Kennesaw State responded offensively and scored five runs on six hits over the next two frames to extend its lead at 7-2.

Jeremy Howell, who led the Owls at the plate finishing 3-for-4 with an RBI, jumpstarted the bottom half of the fourth with a single to center field. Corey Greeson and Kal Simmons followed with back-to-back hits, including Simmons' two-run double that pushed KSU's lead to 4-0.

After the Catamounts cut the lead in half with a two-run homer in the top of the fifth, KSU replied with a game-high, three-run fifth to push its lead to five.

Cornell Nixon, who finished the game 1-for-5 with a run scored and two RBI, recorded a one-out base-clearing triple to right center field, scoring freshman Griffin Helms and senior Chris McGowan. Howell, a batter later, doubled to left center to bring Nixon across home plate, stretching KSU's lead to 7-2.

The five run lead was more than enough for the Owls' bullpen, as Western Carolina could only manage two hits over the last four innings.

Kennesaw State added two insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth, coming from an RBI fielder's choice off Allum's bat before McGowan crossed home plate on a wild pitch.

The Owls placed at least two batters on base in each inning throughout the game, including a season-high 11 walks. Kennesaw State also totaled five extra base hits with four doubles and one triple on the evening. Seven different Owls recorded at least one hit in the game and out-hit the Catamounts 10-9 in the game.

"Offensively we had some really good at bats tonight. It was nice to see them get going." Sansing said.

Kennesaw State will return to Atlantic Sun play this weekend as the Owls trek to Deland, FLA to take on Stetson in a three-game series. KSU will take on the Hatters at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday night, before concluding the series Saturday at 1 p.m.

"It will be a tough weekend. Stetson has a really good club and well coached," Sansing said. "We have to go down there and play the way we are capable of."

Source: http://www.ksuowls.com/news/2015/3/31/BB_0331154346.aspx?path=baseball 

 

 

DELAND, Fla. – The Kennesaw State baseball team lost to Stetson University Saturday (April 4) afternoon in the series finale at Melching Field, 8-5. Chris Erwin recorded his first collegiate grand slam to lead the Owls offensively, finishing the day 2-for-4 with four RBI and a run scored. Chris McGowan also extended his hitting streak to 11 games, finishing the day 1-for-2 at the plate with two walks.The Owls dropped to 15-16 overall on the season and 2-4 in A-Sun play, while the Hatters improved to 18-15 overall and a 3-0 mark in conference play. With the win, Stetson earned a three-game Atlantic Sun Conference sweep over KSU.

Trailing 1-0 entering the top of the fourth, the Owls exploded for a five-run inning to break the scoreless drought. Three straight walks led to KSU's first run of the game, which came off the bat of Morgan with an RBI single off the top of the left field wall, scoring Kal Simmons from third. With bases still loaded, Erwin –who entered the game batting .309 with four doubles and one home run, lifted a fastball over the right field wall for his first collegiate grand slam.

It marked the third grand slam for Kennesaw State this season, with Simmons owning the other two. The Owls now have 24 homers on the season, which is second in the conference behind North Florida.

Stetson answered with home runs in back-to-back innings to help secure the series finale. Will Mackenzie's three-run homer in the bottom of the fifth pulled the Hatters within 5-4, before Jack Machonis' two-run shot in the sixth gave Stetson a lead they never gave back at 6-5.

The Hatters plated two insurance runs in the bottom of the seventh to give their largest lead of the game.

The Owls, however, did not go away quietly, threatening in the top of the eighth. McGowan's infield single followed by Brennan Morgan's double down the right field line placed runners on second and third. With McGowan's single in the inning, the senior extended his hitting streak to an impressive 11 games.

During the stretch, McGowan has gone 14-for-39 (.359) at the plate. He has totaled three doubles, one home run and 12 walks in the 11 games.

The Hatters' Tyler Keller, who came out of the bullpen, forced a fly out to end the Owls' threat and kept the game at 8-5.

Gabe Friese (3-4) was tabbed with a hard-fought loss, allowing six runs on seven hits over 5.1 innings on the mound. Will Lowman (PCHS 2012) threw 1.2 scoreless innings in relief, allowing no hits and no runs while striking out four.

KennesawState will return to action with four road games next week. The Owls will trek to Troy, Alabama on Wednesday for a non-conference showdown with Troy before returning to A-Sun play in Highland Heights, Kentucky for a three-game set against Northern Kentucky on April 8-11. 

TROY, Ala. – The Kennesaw State baseball team defeated non-conference foe Troy University Wednesday (April 8) evening, 3-2, earning its first win over the Trojans since 2007.  In the first meeting between the two teams since 2010 –and first of the home-and-home series in 2015—, the Owls backed a gutsy pitching performance by Chris Erwin with two RBI from Kal Simmons and a solo homer from Drew Davis in the winning effort.

With the win, KSU evened its record at 16-16 overall on the season while sinking the Trojans to 17-17. Kennesaw State, with the victory, earned their first road victory in the all-time series despite totaling just three runs on four hits.

"Chris Erwin threw extremely well tonight," head coach Mike Sansing said. "He went deep into the game, but his pitch count was down and had some quick innings. We were able to squeak one out tonight."

KSU earned the first two runs of the ballgame, placing a crooked number on the scoreboard in the top of the third inning. The Owls –a team that draws 4.45 walks per game— drew three walks in the frame that led to a two-run RBI single through the left side off the bat of Simmons.

For Simmons, the two-run RBI single added to his team-leading totals of 29 RBI and 36 hits on the season. The Nashville, Georgia native finished the game 1-for-3 with two RBI and one walk.

The Trojans responded, putting up a pair runs in the bottom of the fourth. Like Kennesaw State did in the third, Troy worked the bases loaded and then brought home the first run off a sacrifice fly ball. With runners on the corner, Clay Holcomb's sacrifice squeeze bunt plated the game-tying run at 2-2.

The Owls responded, though, as Davis lifted a pitch over the wall in left center field to make it a 3-2 ballgame. Davis–who made his fourth start of the season— smashed a pitch over the wall in left center field to record his first career home run.

"Drew has some power and he got the pitch he wanted and knocked it out. It was a huge run that proved to be the difference maker," Sansing said.

The solo home run proved to be the difference maker in the midweek showdown, as Erwin proved to be too much on the hill. The left-handed pitcher from Grayson, Georgia needed just three runs from the Owls' lineup to secure his third win of the season.

Erwin (3-2) pitched a career-high 8.0 innings on the mound, scattering four hits for two earned runs in the solid performance. He struck out seven Trojans on the day and worked four 1-2-3 innings throughout the day.

"He located the ball well tonight and had good velocity throughout the game," Sansing said.

Will Lowman (PCHS 2011) pitched a scoreless ninth to secure his second save of the season. In all, Erwin and Lowman allowed five hits and two runs, backing three runs the offense pushed across home plate.

"Lowman got the first two guys and then Troy got a hit. Davis game up big throwing out the runner at second and our defense played well tonight," Sansing said.

Kennesaw State will return to action with a three-game set on the road against Northern Kentucky University in Highland Heights, Kentucky. The Owls and the Norse will resume Atlantic Sun play at the Bill Aker Baseball Complex.

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, KY - The Kennesaw State baseball team defeated Northern Kentucky Friday (April 10) afternoon, 8-5, taking game one of the Atlantic Sun Conference weekend series at Bill Aker Baseball Complex. KSU extended its winning streak to seven games over the Norse since 2013, as a pair of home runs and four RBI by senior Chris McGowan propelled the Owls to victory.  

With the win, KSU snapped a three-game A-Sun losing skid and improved to 3-4 in conference play, and moved to 17-16 overall. NKU slipped to 10-19 overall and 0-4 in conference action.

"It's always important to set the tone and win the first game," head coach Mike Sansing said. "I thought our guys kept battling in a tough game."

In a back-and-forth affair throughout the day, KSU allowed the first two runs of the game to Northern Kentucky on a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly ball in the second inning. But, the Owls swung fortune back in their favor, bringing in four runs in the top of the third to take a 4-2 lead.

Kennesaw State sent eight batters in the frame to give its largest scoring inning of the game. KSU picked up a pair of walks with two outs to put the Owls on the ropes. McGowan, who entered the game tied for the third-longest active hitting streak in the A-Sun, stepped up in the clutch, hitting a three-run home run to give KSU a two-run advantage.

McGowan finished the day 3-for-4 and extended his hitting streak to 13 games. During the stretch, McGowan is batting .383 with four doubles, two home runs and seven RBI. McGowan leads all active A-Sun players in career at-bats (729) and walks (104). He needs seven hits to crack 200 in his career.

"What a big home run in the third inning. It woke us up offensively and he Chris is having some good at bats," Sansing said.

NKU answered back with three straight runs to take a 5-4 lead. The Norse plated a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth with a solo home run and an RBI double by Cole Bauml. NKU followed the inning and scratched across a run in the bottom of the sixth with a sacrifice squeeze bunt to take a one-run lead.

The Owls, however, got the run back in the top half of the seventh off the bat of sophomore Chris Erwin. The left-handed batter, who hails from Grayson, GA hit a game-tying solo home run to tie the game at 5-5. It marked Erwin's third homer of the season, and second in a week after hitting a grand slam against Stetson on April 4. He finished the day 2-for-3 with three runs and one RBI in the winning effort.

Kennesaw State carried its momentum into the eighth inning, plating three runs to extend its lead to 8-5, proving to be the difference maker in the game. McGowan continued his strong play at the plate, hitting a sac fly ball to score Cornell Nixon for the go-ahead run. In frame continued as KSU worked the bases loaded before senior Colin Bennett's pinch-hit, two-run RBI single gave the Owls their largest lead of the game at 8-5.

Jordan Hillyer made his ninth start of the season for the Owls Friday afternoon, allowing five runs on six hits over 6.1 innings of work on the mound. Hillyer struck out five Norse batters to add to his A-Sun leading total.

Three relievers backed Hillyer out of the bullpen. Mason Ward, AJ Moore and Will Lowman (PCHS 2012) closed the door to help the Owls earn the win. The three combined to allow just two hits and no runs as Lowman earned his third save of the season.

"I think Will cherishes those moments to come into the game late and he has been throwing well for us," Sansing said.

Kennesaw State will return to action Saturday (April 11) afternoon, taking on the Norse in game two of the weekend series. First pitch is scheduled at 1 p.m. on the campus of NKU.

Source: http://www.ksuowls.com/news/2015/4/10/BB_0410151149.aspx?path=baseball 

 

 

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, KY - The Kennesaw State baseball team held off a late rally from Northern Kentucky University to earn an Atlantic Sun Conference weekend series sweep, taking game three by a score of 12-7 at Bill Aker Baseball Complex on Sunday afternoon.

The win improves the Owls' overall record to 19-16 and moves to 5-4 in A-Sun action after outscoring the Norse 30-14 in a three-game span. With the loss, Northern Kentucky slips to 10-21 overall and 0-6 in conference play.

"Anytime you can get a sweep that's a good weekend. We played pretty good today and I was happy to come away with three games," head coach Mike Sansing said.

The Norse came all the way back from a 6-2 deficit with four runs in the sixth and seventh innings to tie the ballgame at 6-6. But, Kennesaw State held off the furious comeback attempt by scoring a game-high six runs in the top of the eighth inning to secure its first A-Sun series sweep.

Deadlocked at 6-6 going to the eighth frame, the Owls' potent offense saved their best scoring inning of the series when they needed it the most. With the game on the line, KSU brought 11 batters to the plate and recorded six runs on four hits to put the game out of reach.

"Taylor has been swinging the bat really well and we had a chance to go to him late in the game. He was the spark plug that got the eighth inning going for us," Sansing said.

Freshmen teammates Griffin Helms, Taylor Allum and Grant Williams combined for four RBI in the frame. Allum went 2-for-2 with two RBI in the inning, totaling a double and single in the inning to lead the Owls' attack. Kennesaw State totaled three sacrifice fly balls, three walks, three singles and a double for the late rally to pull away from the Norse.

"I just wanted to just get the inning going and wanted to get on base," Allum said. "When I came up to the plate we needed some insurance runs and I wanted to have a good at bat and that's exactly what happened."

The two squads played scoreless baseball up until the bottom of the third. For the second time in the series, NKU opened the game plating two runs in its third time at the plate, using a pair of doubled and an Owl error to take an early 2-0 advantage.

Kennesaw State quickly answered in the top of the fourth, placing three on the scoreboard in right field to take its first lead of the game. Chris McGowan, who entered the game with a 14-game hitting streak, led off the frame with an infield single and advanced to second on a ground out. Jeremy Howell followed with an RBI single through the left side to bring McGowan home for the Owls' first run of the game.

Trailing 2-1, Drew Davis followed Howell's RBI single with a two-run home run over the left field wall to give KSU a 3-2 lead. It was Davis' second home run in as many games played, as the sophomore from Roswell, Georgia hit his first career homer against Troy last Wednesday.

The KSU offensive juggernaut continued in the top of the fifth inning for Kennesaw State, scoring three more runs to extend its lead to four runs. The Owls placed their first three on base with a two singles and a walk to set up Colin Bennett's sacrifice fly and Chris Erwin's two-run RBI double to extend their lead to four.

In all, nine Owls totaled at least one hit in the game, including five with two hits in the game. Logan Hutchinson (1-0) earned the win on the mound, tossing 2.0 innings on the mound, allowing one run on no hits. Will Lowman (PCHS 2011) game out of the bullpen in the ninth and tossed a scoreless frame to shut the door and secure the weekend series' sweep over NKU.

"We are a pretty loose group and like to have fun and that's exactly what we went out and did today, have some fun," Allum said.

Kennesaw State will return to the diamond with five home games next week at Stillwell Stadium. The Owls will take on Jacksonville State and Georgia in back-to-back midweek games, before taking on A-Sun foe Florida Gulf Coast University for a three-game set on April 17-19.

Source: http://www.ksuowls.com/news/2015/4/12/BB_0412155531.aspx?path=baseball 

 

 

 

Kennesaw, GA - The Kennesaw State baseball program split a pair of Atlantic Sun Conference games on Saturday (April 18) afternoon against the visiting Eagles of Florida Golf Coast University. The Owls took the first game of the day, 5-0, before dropping the second game of the twinbill in extra innings by a score of 6-5 at Stillwell Stadium.

With the split, KSU's record now sits at 21-18 overall and 6-5 in A-Sun play. FGCU now sits with an overall record over 20-19-1 record and 7-4 in conference action.

GAME 1: FGCU 0, Kennesaw State 5

Game one lived up to a hyped pitching matchup entering the weekend, as Kennesaw State's Jordan Hillyer outdueled FGCU's Michael Murray to help the Owls earn a 5-0 victory in the series opener.

Entering the weekend, Hillyer and Murray were ranked first and second, respectively, with 65 and 64 strikeouts in the Atlantic Sun and delivered a masterful showing of pitching throughout the first game on Saturday.

Hillyer (4-3), who earned his fourth win of the season, tossed his second complete game of the season, allowing no runs on just three hits in a gutsy performance against the Eagles. The right-handed pitcher from Dacula, Georgia struck out four on the day and forced 11 ground outs in the winning effort.

"Hillyer threw extremely well in game one. He was able to close it down for us with a lead and he was great today," head coach Mike Sansing said.

On the other side of the mound, Murray –who is reigning A-Sun Pitcher of the Year—matched Hillyer step-for-step throughout the game, allowing five runs (four earned) on just five hits while striking out seven batters over 7.1 innings. Murray struck out three of his first six batters he faced, and tossed five scoreless innings during his time on the bump.

After Hillyer and Murray traded scoreless innings in the first and second, the Owls jumped on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third and never looked back. After a leadoff single to center field from Taylor Allum, back-to-back sacrifice bunts led to an RBI sacrifice fly off the bat of Corey Greeson. Grant Williams then followed with an RBI single up the middle to give KSU an early 2-0 lead.

Hillyer proved beneficiary of the run support, as he faced five batters over the minimum over the duration of the ballgame. The righthander worked four 1-2-3 innings, and retired nine of his first 11 batters in the contest.

"Jordan [Hillyer] has been able to set the tone for us this season. He has been very consistent and it was great to see him throw a strong game today," Sansing said.

Leading by two entering the bottom of the seventh, Kennesaw State extended its lead with a two-run homer off the bat of Chris Erwin. Erwin finished the game 2-for-4 with two RBI and one run scored to lead the Owls' offense.

KSU added one insurance run in the bottom of the eighth with a sacrifice fly ball off the bat of Brennan Morgan. Morgan finished the game 1-for-2 with one RBI and one run scored.

For the game, Kennesaw State totaled five sacrifice bunts, four singles, one double and a home run to back Hillyer's strong outing on the mound.

For Hillyer, the three-hit, complete game, shutout marked his second of the season. In fact, the junior has tossed at least 8.0 innings in four of his last six starts, dating back to March 14 against Wintrop.

GAME 2: FGCU 6, Kennesaw State 5 – 10 innings

FGCU scored four runs over the final three innings to complete a 6-5 come-from-behind win over Kennesaw State in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader, earning an A-Sun twinbill split on the day.

KSU got another strong effort on the mound from its starting pitcher, as Travis Bergen allowed three runs (two earned) on nine hits to the Eagles' potent offense. The left-handed pitcher also struck out four on the day over 8.0 innings of work on the bump, earning a no decision for the day.
 
FGCU countered with Brady Anderson, who entered the game with a perfect 4-0 record, as the right-hander allowed five runs (three earned) on eight hits over 6.1 innings.

Both teams wasted no time and scored a combined six runs over the first three innings of play. After FGCU plated the game's first run in the top of the first, the Owls answered by sending eight batters to the dish in the bottom half, scoring three runs on four hits.

The inning was highlighted by a two-run RBI double off the bat of Chris McGowan. The senior–who entered the day on a 17-game hitting streak—, and finished game one 1-for-4, extended his hitting streak to 19 games with the double in the first. Erwin also recorded an RBI single in the frame to extend the Owls' lead to 3-1.

After the two clubs traded runs in the third, KSU extended its lead to 5-2 when McGowan hit his third home run of the season over the right field wall in the bottom of the fifth. McGowan finished the day 4-for-9 with three RBI and two runs.

However, FGCU's Sterling Koerner –who earned the win—came out of the bullpen in relief and pitched 3.2 solid innings to help the Eagles come from behind and defeat the Owls. Koerner (4-3) allowed just four hits and no runs to keep Kennesaw State off the board, allowing FGCU to score the final four runs of the ballgame.

"We were up two runs in the ninth and weren't able to close it out. We need to come back tomorrow strong and close out the series," Sansing said.

Logan Hutchinson was dealt with the tough-luck loss, pitching the final frame of the game allowing one hit and one run. Will Lowman (PCHS 2012) also pitched in relief of Bergen allowing two runs on three hits.

The Owls will conclude their series with FGCU Sunday (April 19) morning, weather permitting. First pitch for the series' finale will be set for 11 a.m. at Stillwell Stadium. Check back with KSUOwls.com or on Twitter @KSUOwlsBaseball for continuous updates with impending weather for Sunday's contest.

Source: http://www.ksuowls.com/news/2015/4/18/BB_0418154527.aspx?path=baseball 

Atlanta, Ga. – The Kennesaw State baseball team exploded for seven runs in the sixth inning to help defeat crosstown rival Georgia Tech Tuesday (April 21) evening at Russ Chandler Stadium, 11-6. With the win, it marked the first time in program history the Owls defeated the Yellow Jackets in back-to-back seasons on the road.

"Last year we beat them and for us to come back this year and bet them again, it's a great feeling. Anytime you can win on the road it's a good day and I am proud of our guys," head coach Mike Sansingsaid.

KSU had nine different players record at least one hit in the game, as Colin Bennett (2-for-2, one RBI), Alex Liquori (1-for-4, three RBI) and Jeremy Howell (2-for-5, one RBI) lead the Owls' lineup. In all, seven KSU players totaled at least one RBI in the game while Brennan Morgan scored a game-high three runs.

"Colin Bennett had a double which was a big swing for us. It was nice to see a lot of guys contribute for us tonight," Sansing said.

Trailing 3-1 entering the top of the sixth, the Owls (22-18) placed a crooked seven on the left field scoreboard in what proved to be the difference in the ballgame. Georgia Tech's (24-16) defense recorded three errors in the inning, as five of the Owls' seven runs were unearned.

KSU sent a game-high 11 batters to the plate in the frame, as 10 of the 11 batters reached base. Despite just one hit in the sixth –an RBI double off the bat of Bennett—, the Owls totaled three walks and took advantage of five fielder choices (three errors resulting in the plays) to take a five-run lead over the pesky Yellow Jackets.

"I don't remember the last time we put together that many runs in a single inning. It was an unusual inning for sure," Sansing said. "We wanted to have good at bats and I felt we did a good job laying off pitches out of the zone.

Chris Erwin (4-2) proved beneficiary of the Owls' offensive explosion, as the lefthander allowed three runs on nine hits over 5.0 innings. Erwin struck out five batters during his outing, and pitched out of several key Georgia Tech bases-loaded opportunities early in the game, stranding eight batters on base.

"I thought Chris [Erwin] battled tonight. I thought Georgia Tech had some opportunities early on that could have got the game out of hand but Erwin was able to get some big strikeouts," Sansing said.

"Erwin kept us close and controlled the damage and he shut the door until the sixth inning. I thought that was key in the game.

Despite leading by five, Georgia Tech scored three in the bottom of the eight to pull within 8-6 with an RBI single and a two-run homer. The Yellow Jackets totaled two home runs in the game, but it was not enough in the end as KSU placed three insurance runs on the board in the ninth to secure the midweek showdown.

Sophomore righthander Gabe Friese tossed two scoreless innings out of the bullpen. Friese allowed no runs on no hits while striking out two in a solid outing. He tossed a total of 42 pitches, 28 of them for strikes to keep the Yellow Jackets' bats quiet.

Will Lowman (PCHS 2012) came into the ninth inning with a comfortable five-run edge. Taking no chances, the lefthander made quick work in the final frame, not allowing a single run while striking out two, shutting the Yellow Jackets down in order.

Kennesaw State will return to Stillwell Stadium Wednesday evening to host Troy in its second midweek game. The Owls and Trojans will conclude their home-and-home series with first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m.

NASHVILLE, TN - The Kennesaw State baseball team dropped game one of the Atlantic Sun Conference weekend series to Lipscomb University Friday (April 24) night at Ken Dugan Field, 4-3, in 10 innings. With the loss, the Owls slipped to 22-20 overall and 6-6 in conference play while the Bisons improved to 26-13 overall and 6-4 in league play.

In a marquee pitching matchup between Kennesaw State's Jordan Hillyer and Lipscomb's Ian Martinez-McGraw, a crowd of 521 watched the two battle it out on the mound in the series opener. Martinez-McGraw and Hillyer entered the weekend second and third, respectively, in the A-Sun with ERA's of 2.18 and 2.35 in 10 starts each and proved to be worthy of those numbers in a hard-fought, toe-to-toe, clash in the center of the diamond.

Despite allowing a combined 15 hits, both Hillyer and Martinez-McGraw limited the opposing team's potent offenses in the game, not allowing more than a single run to cross home plate in one inning throughout their time on the mound.

Hillyer allowed seven hits and three runs over 7.0 strong innings on the bump, earning a no decision in his 11th start. The right-handed junior struck out 10 batters, three shy of his career high. It marked the third time this season Hillyer recorded at least 10 strikeouts in an outing.

On the other side of the mound was Bisons' Martinez-McGraw who tossed 6.1 innings to match Hillyer in the contest. The righthander allowed three runs on eight hits while striking out two, also earning a no decision.

In a back-and-fourth contest with each run proving critical, the two clubs totaled four lead changes and three ties. Nonetheless, despite strong pitching from the two starters, the game came down to extra innings after neither team could score the go-ahead run over the final two frames deadlocked at 3-3.

The Owls tied the game in the seventh when Jeremy Howell, who finished the game with a run and an RBI, grounded into a fielder's choice with bases loaded to lock the game at 3-3. It marked the third time the Owls tied the game, but could never take the lead leaving 14 runners on base.

Lipscomb's Josh Lee pinch hit double into the right field center field gap in the 10th inning was the difference in the game, taking the fourth and final lead of the ballgame. Lee drove a 3-2 pitch into the gap and allowed Tyson Ashcraft to score from first for the walk off winner.

Six Owls recorded at least one hit in the game, as Corey Greeson (2-for-5), Chris Erwin (2-for-5) and Alex Liquori (2-for-4) paced the offensive attack. Grant Williams finished his night 1-for-5 with an RBI and Chris McGowan continued his aggressive approach at the plate going 1-for-4 with a run and an RBI.

Tony Dibrell and Will Lowman (PCHS 2012) came out of the bullpen for KSU, tossing a combined 3.0 innings allowing one run on just two hits. Dibrell struck out his only two batters he faces in 2/3 innings of work, while Lowman was charged with the hard-fought loss.

Kennesaw State will turn around and take on the Bisons for game two of the weekend series Saturday afternoon. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. CST/3 p.m. ET.

Source: http://www.ksuowls.com/news/2015/4/24/BB_0424153922.aspx?path=baseball 

NASHVILLE, TN - The Kennesaw State baseball team evened the Atlantic Sun Conference weekend series Saturday (April 25) afternoon, defeating Lipscomb University 4-3 at Ken Dugan Field. Travis Bergen's strong performance on the mound and Alex Liquori's bat led the Owls past the Bisons for the first time in a regular-season game since 2012, snapping a nine game skid.

With the win, Kennesaw State improved to 23-20 overall and 7-6 in the A-Sun, while Lipscomb slipped to 26-14 overall and 6-5 in conference action.

"I thought both teams played extremely well. It was an extremely competitive game just like last night," head coach Mike Sansing said. "Fortunately we were able to come out on top today."

The Owls knocked 10 hits at the plate, as Corey Greeson (2-for-4), Taylor Allum (2-for-3) and Liquori (3-for-4, two RBI) combined for seven of KSU's 10 hits to back Bergen's resilient effort in his 11th start of the season.

Bergen (5-3) was strong for KSU on the mound once again, allowing two runs on just five hits over 8.0 innings. The lefthander struck out six Bisons and issued three walks on the mound to earn the decision. It marked the third straight outing Bergen has gone at least eight innings for the Owls.

"Travis (Bergen) controlled the game for us and kept us right there to allow us some opportunities," Sansing said. "We took advantage of that and came out with a big win."

Like last night, Lipscomb scored the game's first run of the ballgame when Mike Korte recorded an RBI single through the left side of the infield to give the Bisons a 1-0 edge.

That lead remained true until the fifth inning, as Lipscomb's starting pitcher Jeffrey Passantino held KSU to just three hits throughout the first four innings of play. But the Owls' potent offense, which entered the weekend averaging just under six runs per game, took their first lead of the series placing a crooked three runs on the right field scoreboard.

Kennesaw State brought eight to the dish, scattering four hits –including two infield singles and a double to go along with a pair of sacrifice bunts—for the largest scoring inning over the course of the two games. In the frame, Liquori and freshman teammate Grant Williams recorded an RBI each while a defensive miscue helped give KSU its first lead of the series at 3-1.

"Liquori had another good game today and it's nice to see him put together some good at bats," Sansing said.

That lead proved to be enough as Bergen remained persistent of the strike zone, throwing 84 of his 129 pitches for strikes. After allowing an early run in the second frame, Bergen tossed four consecutive scoreless innings to keep the Bisons at one run. Over the time, Bergen allowed just one hit and retired 12 of 13 Bison batters to keep the home team quiet at the plate.

The two clubs exchanged runs in the eighth and ninth innings, but Will Lowman (PCHS 2012) earned his fifth save of the season to close out the contest.

Kennesaw State and Lipscomb will conclude its series Sunday afternoon, wrapping up a three-game A-Sun set. The rubber match is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. CST/2 p.m. ET.

Source: http://www.ksuowls.com/news/2015/4/25/BB_0425151945.aspx?path=baseball

Kennesaw, Ga. – The Kennesaw State backed a strong pitching performance from freshman AJ Moore on Tuesday (April 28) evening, defeating Savannah State University 5-2 at Stillwell Stadium in front of 642 fans.

With the win, the Owls improved to 9-1 all-time against the Tigers while moving to 25-20 overall on the season. Savannah State, with the loss, slipped to 17-29 overall.

"I thought we battled through tonight and we were able to get some hits which turned into enough runs," head coach Mike Sansing said. "It was good to see our guys fight through a tough opponent in Savannah State."

Led by an impressive outing from the right-handed pitcher, the Owls' five runs on seven hits proved to be enough to improve to 14-10 in front of the Owl faithful this season.  Moore (3-2) allowed just two runs on four hits over 6.0 innings on the hill in his eighth start of the season, coming away with the decision.  

After the two teams traded scoreless frames in the first three innings, KSU placed a crooked three runs on the right field scoreboard in the bottom half of the fourth inning to break the 0-0 ballgame. The Owls sent eight batters to the plate, scoring three runs on three hits to take a lead it would never give back.

The Owls got things going on back-to-back RBI singles off the bats of Alex Liquori –who finished 2-for-4 and one RBI— and Griffin Helms, pushing across the first two runs of the game. The inning continued as KSU's leadoff hitter Corey Greeson knocked home the third run on a base-clearing RBI triple.

Meanwhile, on the mound, Moore controlled Savannah State's lineup for much of the evening, retiring 15 of his first 17 batters –including the first eight Tiger batters in the game to keep SSU scoreless through the first five innings of play. In addition, Moore pounded the strikeout zone early and often, throwing 46 of his first 69 pitches (66 percent) for strikes.  

Kennesaw State extended its lead in the fifth, plating one run to take a 4-0 lead into the sixth inning. The Owls got going with a leadoff triple off the bat of Chris Erwin to the center field wall –giving the Owls a season-high two triples in a game. KSU brought Erwin home with a sacrifice fly to right field from Taylor Allum, recording his 16th RBI of the season.

The Tigers clawed back, scoring two runs in the sixth to cut the lead in half to 4-2. But, that would be the closest Savannah State would get as Chris McGowan's RBI single in the bottom half of the frame extended the Owls' lead to 5-2.

Kennesaw State's bullpen shut the door on the Tigers after Moore exited the game after six complete, as freshman Tony Dibrell and junior Will Lowman (PCHS 2012) combined for three scoreless innings. Dibrell –who struck out two batters in his lone appearance against Lipscomb on Sunday—worked two frames allowing just one hit.

"AJ [Moore] was on tonight and he threw well. It was nice to see Tony Dibrell come in and throw well out of the bullpen," Sansing said. "It's encouraging to see them go into the game back to back and throw well."

Lowman then finished the job with his sixth save of the season, shutting the door in the ninth with a 5-2 lead.

Kennesaw State will wrap-up its week with a Wednesday night contest against SEC foe at 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CST. The game will be on SEC Network and you can also watch the game on WatchESPN App. The game will be the fourth meeting all-time between the Owls and Tigers and will be played on Plainsman Field in Auburn, Alabama.

Kennesaw, GA - The Kennesaw State baseball team used timely hitting and a strong pitching performance fromTravis Bergen to even the series at a game apiece, taking game two of the Atlantic Sun Conference showdown at Stillwell Stadium against Jacksonville University, 9-7. KSU's four seniors – Benjamin Bancroft, Colin Bennett, Nathan Harsh and Chris McGowan—were honored prior to the game for Senior Day, celebrating their storied careers at Kennesaw State.

The Owls (26-23, 9-7) and the Dolphins (22-28, 8-9) combined for 16 runs on 29 hits in the game. Kennesaw State knocked 16 hits on the day, as Jeremy Howell (4-for-4, three RBI), Grant Williams (3-for-5, one RBI), Alex Liquori (3-for-4, one RBI) and Chris Erwin (2-for-5, two RBI) combined for 12 of the Owls' 16 hits and seven of the nine RBI in the winning effort.

"Jeremy Howell had some big hits for us today. He had a great day," Sansing said. "He set the pace for our lineup and our guys came through."

In what appeared to be a low-scoring affair throughout the early stages of the game, the two teams combined for 12 runs over the last three innings of play, as the Owls scored seven of the final 12 to earn a 9-7 victory.

"It was good to come back today and get an important victory," head coach Mike Sansing said. "We earned the win today and we battled throughout the day."

With the score deadlocked at 2-2 entering the bottom of the sixth inning, Kennesaw State placed a game-high four runs on the right field scoreboard to give its largest lead of the game. The Owls got the inning started with the first four batters reaching base safely, including an RBI single off the bat of Liquori. Taylor Allum, who finished the game 1 for 4 knocked home his 19th RBI of the season with a ground out to shortstop before Howell followed with a one out two run double into the right field gap giving KSU a 6-2 edge.

The inning came at the expense of four Jacksonville pitchers, as starter Spencer Stockton (3-4) was charged with the loss. The right-hander allowed four runs on nine hits while striking out one batter over 5.0 innings.

Meanwhile, on the mound, Bergen (6-3) put together a gutsy performance. The lefthander allowed five runs on 11 hits over 7.1 innings of work. Bergen struck out eight batters and issued just three walks while throwing 69 percent of his pitches for strikes to earn the win.

"Travis [Bergen] was strong today. He threw well and gave us an opportunity to win," Sansing said.

In a back-and-forth contest in the final outings, the Owls once again placed an important three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. After the Dolphins climbed back to within 6-5 with one run in the seventh and two in the eighth, KSU plated an important three insurance runs to put the game out of reach.

Logan Hutchinson and Will Lowman (PCHS 2012) came out of the bullpen to assure the win, tossing the final 1.2 innings and allowed two runs. Hutchinson tossed a clean 0.2 innings of work, not allowing a hit in the game, while Lowman pitched a hard-fought ninth to shut the door on the Dolphins.

With the win, the Owls secured a spot in the A-Sun Tournament as Florida Golf Coast University also won, clinching one of the six slots for the postseason. The tournament will be held in Fort Myers, Florida on May 20-24.

"We will take that in stride and win series and get ready for the postseason," Sansing said. "We want to improve and hold some leads and it's an everyday challenge."

Kennesaw State and Jacksonville will conclude its series Sunday (May 10) afternoon at Stillwell Stadium. Gabe Friese and Nathan Disch will toe the rubber in game three on the mound with the first pitch set for 1 p.m.

Source: http://www.ksuowls.com/news/2015/5/9/BB_0509150711.aspx?path=baseball

 

Statesboro, Ga. -- Chris Erwin tied a school record with 15 strikeouts and totaled two RBI on the night to lead the Kennesaw State baseball team past Georgia Southern in its final non-conference game of the 2015 slate, earning a 8-5 win at J.I Clements Stadium late Tuesday (May 12) evening.

"[His] fastball had a life to it the entire night. It had some giddy up tonight," head coach Mike Sansing said. "He had good stuff and his pitches were jumping."

Erwin tied Kyle Heckathorn's record of 15 punch outs set back in 2009 at KSU in a single game, and it was the most strikeouts recorded in the Atlantic Sun since Chris Sale fanned 15 on April 23, 2010. Erwin (5-4) struck out at least one batter in six over his 7.1 innings of work, and recorded four innings with at least two strikeouts.

"It means a lot. Chris Sale is a great pitcher that came out of FGCU and is now a former CY Young winner," Erwin said. "I was able to control the in-and-out of the plate tonight. I mixed my pitches well tonight and hit my spots."

The record-setting performance paved way for the Owls (27-24), scoring eight runs on eight hits while taking advantage of four Georgia Southern (28-24) errors on the night.  KSU was paced offensively from Alex Liquori (2-for-4, one RBI), Erwin (1-for-4, two RBI), Brennan Morgan (1-for-5, one RBI) and Kal Simmons (2-for-3, two runs).

The Owls waited out a two hour and nine minute rain delay, but wasted no time jumping on the left field scoreboard in the first two innings of play.  KSU—who entered the game outscoring opponents by a +14 margin in the first two innings—placed five runs over the first two frames to jump out to a quick 5-0 lead.

The first inning was highlighted with an RBI single off the bat of Morgan—his 24th RBI of the season—, a double steal that scored Grant Williams and an error that scored the Owls' third run of the frame, taking a 3-0 lead at the time.

That lead remained true for the entire game, as Kennesaw State never surrendered the lead. The Owls led by as many as five and as little as one, but Erwin continued to get key strikeout after strikeout –including a noteworthy five-straight strikeout stretch in the fourth and fifth frame to never give away KSU's advantage.

After KSU took a 5-0 lead after the first two innings, the Eagles answered with three runs with two in the bottom of the second and one in the fourth to pull within 5-3.

But, the Owls responded with a solo home run off the bat of Liquori in the fifth and two runs in the eighth to hold off the Eagles

"We were up five and Georgia Southern battled back in the game," Sansing said. "We were able to maintain our lead and we scored late. I thought it was good for our club to have that experience of a close game and tough situations to battle through.

KSU's Mason Ward, Benjamin Bancroft and Will Lowman (PCHS 2012) relieved Erwin of his duties, combining for 1.2 scoreless innings allowing just one hit. Lowman earned his seventh save of the season with a scoreless ninth to help Erwin earn his fifth win of the season.

Kennesaw State will trek to Jacksonville, FL for a three-game set with North Florida. The Owls will conclude their regular season against the Ospreys beginning Thursday evening at 6 p.m. KSU has clinched a spot in the upcoming Atlantic Sun Tournament on May 20-24, but the seedings have not yet been determined.  

Source: http://www.ksuowls.com/news/2015/5/12/BB_0512154518.aspx?path=baseball

 

There will be at least four former Waynesboro Generals suiting up in the minor leagues this season. During the two day draft for Major League Baseball this week, Patrick Mazeika, Tyler Cyr, Sikes Orvis and Will Lowman all heard their name called at some point. The total of four players represented the highest number for any team in the Valley League.

The New York Mets took 2013 Generals alum Patrick Mazeika, a catcher from Stetson University. In the eighth round, the defending-champion San Francisco Giants took Embry-Riddle pitcher and 2014 alum Tyler Cyr. In the tenth round, the Chicago White Sox took Ole Miss infielder Sikes Orvis, a 2013 alum, in the 17th round. Finally, the Arizona Diamondbacks added pitcher Will Lowman, a 2014 Generals alum from Kennesaw State, in the 20th round.

Mazeika came on strong for the Generals after joining the team about midway through the 2013 summer season. He quickly established himself as one of the best hitters in the league, batting .382 in 24 games with 18 RBIs. The Stetson product helped the Generals win the Valley League championship with both his offense and his defense, only committing one error during his tenure in Waynesboro. This year, the junior hit .307 for the Hatters with seven home runs and 53 RBI in 58 games.

“Patrick was a really special player when he was here for us,” general manager Tyler Hoffman said. “He could always swing the bat. He was a great player and we always knew it was only a matter of time before he got drafted pretty high. It couldn’t happen to a better guy.”

Cyr, a righthanded pitcher, was an All-Sun selection for the Eagles this year after going 7-5 with a 3.14 ERA in 17 appearances, 15 of which were starts. He pitched one inning of shutout relief for the Generals during the 2014 summer after joining the team late in the season. He is the second-highest Embry-Riddle product ever drafted and will head to an organization known for developing exceptional pitchers.

“I’m more than excited going to an organization like [the Giants],” said Cyr, who first thought of his family when he got the call. “They will bring out the best in me; they’ve proved it time and time again.”

Cyr also thanked the Generals organization and its dedicated fans. "Waynesboro's an awesome community—the people and everything; it was everything they said it would be and more,” he said. “The way they come together for baseball is unreal. It makes you realize there’s more to the game than going out there and playing. Seeing kids and families look up to you is a big deal.” “It was a really big part for his future, and he tells that to us all the time,” Hoffman said. “We couldn’t be happier for him.”

Orvis, a fan favorite in Oxford and in Waynesboro, batted just .130 for the Generals during his summer in the River City, but he provided terrific defense at first base, picking up 0 errors in 25 games played. A captain this year for the Rebels, Orvis batted .264 with 16 home runs and 53 RBIs in 57 games. He also drew 41 walks, putting his on base percentage at nearly .400.

“Sikes was a fun guy to have in Waynesboro,” Hoffman said. “Even though his numbers probably weren’t what he would have wanted, he showed up every day and worked hard, and that’s what he was known for. He had a great career at Ole Miss, and I’m glad it paid off for him.”

Finally, Lowman appeared in eight games for the Generals last summer, starting three and posting a 4.50 ERA. He was Kennesaw State’s closer this year, picking up seven saves with a 4.26 ERA, fourth-best on the team and holding opponents to just a .217 batting average against, best on the team and will be a reliever in the Diamondbacks’ organization.

“It’s everything you dream it’ll be when you get the call about something you’ve been working your whole life for,” said Lowman, who was with his sister and mother when he got to call. “The whole group of guys I played with and the community boosted my confidence to where it needed to be for this season. I wish I could tell everyone to play there; it was an unbelievable experience.”

Having Lowman get selected was especially meaningful for Hoffman and head coach D.J. King. “He came to us as a guy that was really trying to find his way and didn’t really know what his role would be with Kennesaw State, Hoffman said. “I remember really vividly we had a playoff home game against Covington and had a huge strikeout to get us out of a jam, and that night after the game he was basically in tears. At that point, to me, that was something that put him over the bump as a pitcher. It’s really special for us.”

Hoffman says getting players drafted is one of his selling points when trying to get players to Waynesboro, and the experience in Waynesboro prepares Generals for professional baseball.

“Some of the stuff they take from here about being a person, being a leader in the community and those things are hopefully things they can carry into their professional baseball careers,” he concluded. “Outside of baseball, I would like to think Waynesboro has a special place in their hearts.”

Source: http://www.dailyprogress.com/newsvirginian/sports/valley_league/former-generals-realize-their-baseball-dreams/article_79f3eab4-0fb6-11e5-ac0e-e7f263dfb91a.html

 

KENNESAW, GA – For the second straight day, a pair of Kennesaw State baseball players were selected in the 2015 Major League Baseball (MLB) First-Year Player Draft on Wednesday afternoon on the final day of the annual event.

The Miami Marlins selected righthander Jordan Hillyer with the 416th overall pick in the 14th round of the draft, while the Arizona Diamondbacks took Will Lowman (PCHS 2012) 586th overall with the first pick in the 20thround –marking the second Owl selected by the organization in as many days. In addition, Jaret Hellinger, who was KSU signee for the 2016 season, also got selected in the 20th round (600 overall) by the hometown Atlanta Braves.

Hillyer, a 2015 Second Team All-Conference Atlantic Sun Conference selection and a three-time Pitcher of the Week award winner, served as one of the main catalysts in the Owls' weekend rotation. He was one of two pitchers to make 14 starts and led the Atlantic Sun Conference in strikeouts (92) and compiled an impressive 2.72 ERA in 89.1 innings of work. Hillyer also posted a career-best two shutouts.

For the second consecutive day, the Arizona Diamondbacks selected a member of the Kennesaw State baseball team by selecting Will Lowman in the 20th round. Lowman will join teammate Kal Simmons, who was selected in the eighth round Tuesday afternoon, as a member of the Diamondbacks' organization in the 2015 MLB Draft.

The hard-throwing lefthander became a vital role for head coach Mike Sansing out of the bullpen, serving as the Owls' closer in the ninth inning for most of the season. Lowman made a career-high seven saves and posted an ERA of 4.26 in 25.1 innings of work on the mound. He also proved to be durable, making a career-best 26 appearances, which also led the team.

You can view the full results of the draft via the 2015 MLB tracker on MLB.com, or you can view the full selections by CLICKING HERE.

Source: http://www.ksuowls.com/news/2015/6/10/BB_0610150905.aspx?path=baseball

MISSOULA, MONT. - The Arizona Diamondbacks and Missoula Osprey announced the second talented group of players that will be coming to Missoula for the 2015 season. The 15 first-year professionals, including 14 who were drafted in the 2015 Major League First-Year Player Draft, will join the 17 players already on the Osprey roster that was announced yesterday afternoon. With the roster now set, Missoula has the potential to field a top-10 pick at each starting position outside of first base - where it could place an 11^th-rounder.

C - Francis Christy (7^th-Round, 2015)

1B - Austin Byler (11^th-Round, 2015)

2B - Isan Diaz (Competitive Balance B, 2014)

3B - Tyler Humphreys (7^th-Round, 2014)

SS - Kal Simmons (8^th-Round, 2015)

OF - Marcus Wilson (Competitive Balance B, 2014)

OF - Matt McPhearson (4^th-Round, 2013)

OF - Joey Armstrong (10^th-Round, 2015)

The 2015 Missoula Osprey roster is made up of 32 players, including seven starting pitchers, nine relievers, three catchers, seven infielders, and six outfielders. The average age of the players on the 32-man list is just under 21 (20.8), with the youngest being 18 (Bo Takahashi, RHP) and the oldest 24 (Aaron Sookee, RHP).

"Since I have been in this position, this is the most balanced team we have fielded in Missoula in terms of pitching and hitting, along with youth and experience," said Mike Bell, Director of Player Development for the Arizona Diamondbacks. "This team's strengths will be speed and power offensively, and depth in the pitching staff."

Starting Pitchers

Bryant Holtmann, who was drafted in the 37th round of the 2014 draft by Pittsburgh, elected to return to Florida State for his senior year before being taken this season in the 24th round. During his senior campaign, Holtman, who stands 6'5 and 200 pounds, pitched to a 6-1 record and a 3.36 ERA over 20 appearances (nine starts) and 64.1 innings of work. He made 14 appearances, including six starts as a junior, finishing with a 5-1 record and a 3.68 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 36.2 innings.

Cameron Smith, an All-Big 12 first-team selection, went 6-5 with a 2.83 ERA in 14 appearances (13 starts) with two complete games, one save, 89 innings pitched, 77 strikeouts and 28 walks allowed in 2015 while playing for Texas Tech. The 6'0, 165-pound lefty started the season with 11 consecutive starts pitching at least five innings. Over a two-year career with Texas Tech, including an All-Big 12 honorable mention selection in 2014, Smith went 14-8 with a 2.81 ERA over 39 appearances and 17 starts, and helped the Red Raiders to the 2014 College World Series. Prior to attending Texas Tech, Smith prepped at Clear Lake High School where he posted a 2.92 ERA with 69 strikeouts and 26 walks in 48 innings as a senior.

Relief Pitchers

Signed as a non-drafted free agent following his senior year, Matt Lees will begin his professional career in Missoula. Lees turned in a .87 ERA and a 6-2 record over 31 relief appearances for Virginia Commonwealth in 2015. The 6'1, 190-pound pitcher notched a pair of saves and logged 52 total innings on the mound while limiting opponents to a .203 batting average against and striking out 50. VCU's most reliable option out of the bullpen over his four years, Lees made 117 appearances and pitched to a 17-14 record and a 3.03 ERA in 190.1 innings with 151 strikeouts.

Keegan Long was Arizona's 29^th-round pick out of St. Joseph's College in Indiana. The 6'2, 190-pound hurler appeared in nine games, all starts, and finished the season with a 1-5 record and a career-best 3.15 ERA. The Edon, Ohio native completed 54.1 innings, striking out 67 batters - fourth-best in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The right-hander walked only eight batters and held opponents to a .252 batting average against.

Arizona's 20th-round pick in 2015, Will Lowman made 26 appearances for Kennesaw State in 2015, pitching to a 4.26 ERA and recording six saves over 25.1 innings of work. The 6'0, 185-pound left-hander struck out 37 and limited opponents to a .217 average against. Lowman saw action in 11 games during the 2014 season, logging 10 total innings of work and giving up just seven hits with nine strikeouts.

Austin Mason, Arizona's 17^th-round pick out of The Citadel this year, posted a 4.19 ERA through 53.2 innings of work and struck out 53 batters over his 25 appearances in 2015. A native of Greer, S.C, Mason finished his Citadel career with a 5.28 ERA over 165.1 innings pitched. The 6'2, 200-pound right-hander started in 32 of his 53 appearances, striking out 126 opponents. Mason was rated the No. 6 right-handed pitcher and No. 13 overall prospect in South Carolina according to The Diamond Prospects out of Eastside High School.

Position Players

Joey Armstrong, the 286^th overall pick in the 10^th round this year, hit .277 with 34 runs scored, nine doubles, a triple and two homers to the tune of 26 RBI this season while playing for UNLV. The 5'11, 195-pounder started his career as a third baseman, but served as UNLV's primary centerfielder the last two years. Armstrong hit .302 with four home runs, eight doubles, three triples and 27 RBI as a sophomore before an injury ended his season with 10 games left to be played. He spent the summer of 2014 playing in the Cape Cod League, competing for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox and winning the team's fourth CCBL Championship.

Austin Byler, a 2015 third-team All-American selection and the 11th-round pick of Arizona this year, was a ninth-round pick of the Nationals last season but didn't sign and returned for his senior season at Nevada. The 6'3", 225-pound left-handed hitter, who was tabbed the top senior in collegiate baseball according to Perfect Game prior to this year, batted .328 while collecting 69 runs scored, 18 doubles, 54 walks and 14 homers with 52 RBI. The Peoria, Ariz. native slugged .652 and stole nine bases in 12 attempts. Byler finished his collegiate career with a .320 lifetime batting average while ranking in the top-10 in program history in home runs (4th, 39), walks (5th, 115), triples (5th, 11), games played (6th, 209), at bats (7th, 757), doubles (7th, 50), runs (8th, 180) and hits (8th, 242). He was named to the midseason watch list for the USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award, and was a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy, given annually to the top player in college baseball. Baseball America notes that Byler played third base and left field earlier in his career, and he may still move well enough to shift to left field - he is a 7-seconds-flat runner over 60 yards. Byler was the 115th-best draft prospect according to Baseball America, and checked in at #199 according to MLB.com.

Utilizing its seventh-round pick in the 2015 MLB Draft, Arizona snapped a string of five-straight pitching selections with a potential battery-mate in Francis Christy. Listed as the 385th-best prospect according to Baseball America, the 6'2, 220-pound catcher was a highly-touted recruit out of Casa Grande High School (37th round selection in 2013, Oakland), but ultimately settled at Palomar College. Christy, named California Community College Player of the Year and National Community College Player of the Year, batted .316 with a CCCA-leading 11 home runs, 52 RBIs and 43 runs scored in 45 games as the Comets went 37-8 and finished third in the California State Tournament. According to Baseball America, the talented backstop, who had committed to the University of Washington, is physical enough to handle catching everyday and features a strong arm behind the plate. Christy was the first California community college player selected in the draft, and was the first community college catcher in the nation taken in this year's draft.

Baseball America's 242nd-best draft prospect, and Arizona's 22^nd-round selection in 2015, Zach Hoffpauir was Stanford's biggest power threat this season. Despite missing 23 games with a wrist injury, the junior led the team with four home runs and drove in 23 runs in 33 games. He hit .289 after batting .324 with seven homers and 35 RBI in 59 games during a breakout sophomore campaign. A two-time honorable mention All-Pac-12 player, Hoffpauir was also a member of the Stanford football team. The 6'0, 195-pound safety played 12 games last season and ranked seventh on the team in tackles with 44, including a career best 15 against Washington State. The native of Glendale, Arizona has a high ceiling, especially considering he has faced a limited baseball practice schedule due to his football obligations.

Luke Lowery, who was taken by Arizona in the 14^th round this year, helped East Carolina to its first American Athletic Conference title in 2015, batting .311 with 40 runs scored, 10 doubles, 12 homers and 49 RBI while slugging .553 and reaching at a .408 clip. The Midlothian, Va. product was a first-team All-AAC selection at designated hitter, striking just 15 times in 209 at bats while drawing 21 walks. Following the AAC Championship run, Lowery, who stands 6'2" and 230 pounds, earned an All-Tournament selection. As a prep star at Cosby High School, Lowery took home first-team All-State, All-Central Region, All-Dominion District and All-Metro accolades en route to becoming the most decorated catcher in school history.

Arizona's 13^th-round selection, and a consensus first-team All-American, Jason Morozowski batted .424 over 55 games for the University of Mount Olive in 2015. The right-handed hitter, who checks in at 6'1 and 175 pounds, plated 78 runs to accompany 19 doubles, 21 homers and 82 RBI to the tune of a .790 slugging percentage. A threat to run when aboard, the speedy outfielder reached at a .481 clip and stole 17 bases in 18 attempts. Morozowski, a native of Pembroke Pines, Fla., was the 2015 Conference Carolinas Baseball Player of the Year and narrowly missed winning the Conference Carolinas Triple Crown, leading the league in homers and RBI while finishing second in batting average. Morozowski was a pitcher at Florida International University prior to transferring to Mount Olive, making 29 total appearances for the Panthers and pitching to a 2-0 record and a 3.66 ERA over 39.1 innings on the mound.

Prior to drafting Jake Peevyhouse in the 34th round out of Arizona State, the Arizona Diamondbacks explained that from the 2015 Draft forward, their 34th-round pick would be named the Cory Hahn 34th Pick. Hahn, who works in Arizona's scouting department, suffered a fractured vertebra after playing just three games as a freshman with Arizona State in 2011. Before hiring him, the D-backs selected Hahn with their 34th-round pick (for his No. 34 jersey) in 2013. Peevyhouse, a Phoenix, Ariz. native, was a four-year letterwinner who appeared in 175 games with 154 starts for the Sun Devils. He batted .268 with 149 hits, including 34 doubles, eight triples and four home runs, drove in 75 runs and scored 98 in his career. As a senior in 2015, the 5'10, 184-pound outfielder hit .287 with 51 hits, including three triples (tied for a team high) and added 23 RBI and 26 runs scored. Peevyhouse is a 2011 graduate of Pinnacle High School where he was a three-time first-team All-Region pick and was a second-team All-State choice as a junior

Kal Simmons, Arizona's eighth-round pick in 2015, was a 2015 second-team All-Atlantic Sun selection after leading Kennesaw State with 10 homers. The switch-hitting shortstop batted .269 with 41 runs scored and seven doubles with 35 RBI. Simmons, the 165^th-best prospect in the draft according to Baseball America, was a Freshman All-American in 2013 after hitting .290 and driving in 27 runs with 10 doubles and 20 runs scored. Scouts praise the 6'1, 195-pound infielder for his intangibles, overall skill set and Baseball I.Q., and note that he shows more feel from the left side of the plate and a little more pop from the right. He reached double-digit home runs this spring but projects as more of a gap-to-gap hitter with doubles power as a professional.

Jeff Smith, taken in the 30^th round by Arizona this season, hit .303 playing for the Missouri Baptist College Spartans in NAIA Division I play. He teamed the average with 58 runs scored, 40 RBI, 11 doubles, three triples and 11 homers. The 6'0, 180-pound utility man slugged .522 and stole 18 bases in 20 attempts. A native of Hamilton, Ohio, he batted .293 and slugged .512 in 2014, scoring 52 runs and collecting 10 doubles, a triple and eight homers to the tune of 39 RBI.

The Osprey open the 2015 season on the road against the Helena Brewers June 18. The Osprey home opener is set for June 24 against Helena. Osprey ticket plans are still available and can be purchased at the MSO Hub Box Office, by phone at (406) 543-3300, and online at www.MissoulaOsprey.com.

Source: http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20150616&content_id=130956096&fext=.jsp&vkey=news_t518&sid=t518 

HELENA, MONT. - An eight-run first inning from Helena forced the Missoula Osprey into an uphill battle from the beginning, as Missoula (1-1) ultimately fell by a count of 16-3 to the Brewers (1-1) on Friday in the second game of a season-opening two-game series. The Brewers, who recorded the victory to earn a series split, managed 16 runs on 14 hits, but also benefitted from four Osprey errors, five wild pitches and nine walks.

Osprey starter Anfernee Benitez (0-1) lasted just a third of an inning, surrendering six runs on three hits and three walks before handing the ball over to the bullpen. Andrew Potter was the first reliever used, tossing the next 2.1 innings and allowing seven runs (three earned) on five hits and three walks as Helena plated five more runs in the third inning. Matt Lees and Keegan Long each made their Osprey debuts on Friday in relief, tossing a combined 3.1 innings and striking out four. Left-hander Will Lowman finished the game on the hill for Missoula, throwing two scoreless innings to begin his professional career.

Blake Allemand and Carlos Belonis each collected three hits and a stolen base in the victory for Helena, with Belonis finishing 3-for-4 with three runs scored and a walk. Hitting out of the leadoff spot, Allemand went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBI. Steven Karkenny and Jose Cuas drove in three, as Karkenny's two-RBI single got the scoring going in the first.

Marcos Diplan was impressive in his start for Helena, tossing the first five innings and allowing just one run and striking out eight to move to 1-0 on the year. The right-hander struck out five of the final six batters he faced in the outing. After J.B. Kole threw a scoreless sixth inning, Chad Reeves entered and threw the final three innings to secure the victory and earn his first save of the year.

Missoula managed eight total hits in the loss, including two apiece from Isan Diaz, Matt McPhearson and Jeff Smith. Although the final score showed a lopsided victory for Helena, the Osprey did finish strong in the ninth, gaining some momentum and confidence headed into a four-game series with Billings starting on Saturday. McPhearson opened the final frame with a triple before Smith punched a single into right-centerfield to bring home the speedy outfielder and Missoula's second run of the game. Continuing to claw to the end, the Osprey managed to score their final run of the game on a bases-loaded walk.

Missoula will continue a six-game road trip to start the 2015 season on Saturday, traveling to Billings, Mont. to open a four-game series with the Mustangs. 

(Webmaster’s Note: Each Osprey pitcher gave up at least one run except for our very own Will Lowman who pitched two scoreless innings. Way to go Will, the PC Nation is proud of and happy for you)

Source: http://www.milb.com/scoreboard/index.jsp?sid=t518 

 

 

BILLINGS, MONT. - Making his second start of the season, right-hander Bo Takahashi threw 7.0 shutout innings, allowing just four hits while striking out six, to guide the Missoula Osprey (3-3) to a 3-1 victory over the Billings Mustangs (3-2) on Tuesday night in Billings, Mont. The victory handed Missoula a road-series split with the Mustangs.

Takahashi found himself in only one real jam during the outing, allowing a leadoff triple to Brantley Bell in the fifth. The native of Brazil refused to let the Mustangs blemish his line, inducing a shallow fly ball from Hector Vargas before getting Zach Shields to foul out to third base for the second out. Takahashi worked completely out of the jam on the ensuing play as Blake Trahan lined softly to first to end the inning. Takahashi retired the final nine batters he faced, and 12 of the last 13 overall.

The Osprey scored three runs on four hits on Tuesday night, with a solo home run from Isan Diaz providing the first run of the game in the fourth. The left-handed hitting middle infielder crushed a 1-0 pitch over the wall in right centerfield to claim his first round-tripper of the season.

Missoula added two more runs, both unearned, in the fifth inning as it took advantage of an error charged to Bell at third base. With one out, Tyler Humphreys hit a ball to the backhand of Bell, but the throw to first was in the dirt and skipped past Kevin Franklin and allowed Humphreys to take second. Sarkis Ohanian, who pitched two innings of relief and allowed all three Osprey runs en route to taking the loss and falling to 0-1, struck out Matt McPhearson for the second out, but Joey Armstrong made the error hurt with an RBI-double into left field to run the tally to 2-0 Missoula. Luke Lowery, the only Osprey player to start every game this year, tacked on the final run two pitches later, lining a single into centerfield to bring home Armstrong.

The Osprey bullpen had to battle tough in the eighth inning, rejecting a comeback bid from Billings. Vargas led off the inning with a triple off of reliever Will Lowman before Diaz bobbled a ground ball off the bat of Trahan, allowing the run to score and Trahan to reach. A second error, this one charged to Lowery at first, put two runners aboard before Keegan Long was summoned from the pen. Long hit Franklin to load the bases and bring Tyler Stephenson to the plate, but the right-hander struck out Stephenson on three pitches to end the threat and get the ball to the ninth.

Dan Savas locked up his third save of the year with a scoreless ninth inning, surrendering a one-out single but inducing a game-ending double play as the Osprey held on for the victory.

With a six-game road trip in the books, Missoula will head home for the home-opener tomorrow at 7:05 pm MT from Ogren Park Allegiance Field.

Source: http://www.milb.com/news/article.jspymd=20150624&content_id=132546088&fext=.jsp&vkey=news_t518&sid=t518 

 

 

Congratulations to Will Lowman (PCHS 2012) for his pitching debut last week with the AZL D-backs of the Arizona Rookie League. Even though Will only pitched one inning of a game, it was a solid performance with Will even being on the front end of turning a double-play. Will was previously assigned to the Missoula Osprey of the Pioneer Rookie League.

The D-backs started the week off traveling to Phoenix defeating the AZL Royals (36-15) on Monday by a score of 6-5 and again on Tuesday at home in Scottsdale by a score of 3-2 in ten innings. The D-backs had Wednesday off and then traveled to face the AZL Cubs (29-21, 7-4) on Thursday in Mesa where the D-backs fell apart and got blanked by a score of 11-0. Will pitched one inning giving up two runs on three hits.

The D-backs lost to the AZL Reds (25-26) on Friday by a score of 4-2 and lost to the AZL Giants (29-22, 10-5) by a score of 6-2 on Saturday. The D-backs finished the week off with a victory over the AZL Padres (20-30) on Sunday in Scottsdale by a score of 5-2.

With three losses this week, reaching the playoffs seams unlikely as the D-backs (25-27 season, 7-6 league) fell from first to third trailing the Giants by 1-1/2 games in the second half of the AZL East standings. A date has not yet been set for the playoffs which will be a single elimination format and the D-backs must win the division to be eligible or their season will come to a close on August 28th. 

The 14-U Pierce County Bears had a rough outing in their fall season debut by playing in the Peach State Diamond Sports tournament at the Trembling Earth Recreation Complex in Waycross on Saturday, August 22^nd.  The Bears took the field for their first pool play game at 9:30 against the Appling County Bucs losing 11-1 and then lost again at 11:15 against the Savannah Spartans by a score of 3-0. Pierce was the number five seed out of six teams after completion of pool play and had to face the Spartans again this time losing by a score of 11-2 ending their day. 

As always, Go Bears!

 

 

The last week of the Arizona Rookie League is here and the AZL D-backs (25-30, 7-8) chances of making the play-offs look grim as they currently trail the AZL Giants (31-25, 10-5) and the AZL Cubs (30-22, 8-5) by 2 ½ games.

The D-backs started the week off with a loss against the AZL Athletics (24-31) by a score of 3-2. The D-backs tied the game in the eighth inning but gave up the losing run in the bottom of the 11^th inning. Will Lowman (PCHS 2012) came in and pitched the fifth inning giving up a hit, a walk and two strike outs and did not allow a run to score in his frame.

Play-off hopes died on Wednesday as the D-backs dropped its second straight game losing to the AZL Angels (23-29) by a score of 3-1. Thursday’s game against the AZL Cubs was cancelled due to rain with no decision as of yet whether it will be made up or not. The D-backs lost its third straight game to the AZL Royals (39-16) on Friday by a score of 12-5 for the season finale.

Will finished the Rookie season with a combined ERA of 10.66 giving up 17 runs (15 earned) on 15 hits over 12.2 innings. Will walked 20 batters while striking out 9. Will started his minor league career this season with the Pioneer Rookie Leagues' Missoula Osprey in Montana before being transferred to the AZL D-backs of the Arizona Rookie League.

Lowman will now report to the Instructional League on September 18th for about a month before having the winter off and reporting for spring training in 2016.

As always, Go Bears!

 

 

Kennesaw gets impressive start to 2012 Class

The Kennesaw State Owls found themselves in hyper scramble mode after the MLB Draft devasted their 2011 signing class. Brookwood High Teammates lead by Trey Martin OF Brookwood High and Hebron Christian MVP Danny Lockhart all signed this summer. The Texas Rangers took Nate Harsh in the 19th round also a KSU signee but Harsh decided to go to school.

Kennesaw had many holes to fill in the 2012 Class and they have gotten off to a great start. Here is a list of KSU verbals:Alex Liquori - Whitewater (OF), Jordan Hillyer - Hebron Christian (RHP) (3B), Will Lowman - Pierce County (LHP), Brennan Morgan - McIntosh (C), Kendall Hawkins - Cartersville (RHP, INF), Cole McArthur - Northside Warner Robbins (RHP), Clint Wynn - Houston Co. (3B, 1B, RHP), Michael Royal - Altoona (RHP), Travis Bergan - Union Grove (LHP) and Tyler Graham - Hillgrove (RHP).

KENNESAW, Ga. - On the heels of the start of the fall signing period this week, Kennesaw State Owls head baseball coach Mike Sansing announced on Friday that 11 prospective student-athletes have signed National Letters of Intent to play baseball at Kennesaw State. The class includes seven of the top 1000 prospects in the nation, according to Perfect Game.

The 11 signees include a pair of infielders, two outfielders, a catcher, two pitchers, and four student-athletes who can both pitch and be position players. Sansing is excited about the mix of talent that he will be bringing to Kennesaw State in the fall, and the options they bring the ballclub.

"We are extremely pleased with the group of young men that we will be welcoming into our program," Sansing commented. "With the rules limiting the number of players we can have on our roster, we needed to recruit student-athletes who could play multiple positions in the field and give us as much flexibility as possible. All 11 of our signees are capable of competing at a very high level, but most importantly, they are young men of extremely high character and are ones that we cannot wait to have in the Kennesaw State family."

While nine of the 11 signees are currently playing prep ball at high schools around Georgia, infielder McLendon Hill and outfielder Bo Way are currently playing at Georgia Perimeter Junior College and Middle Georgia Junior College, respectively, adding a veteran dimension to the recruiting class.

"In McLendon and Bo, we feel we are getting two of the top junior college position players in the state of Georgia," Sansing noted. "Their experience will be a big asset to our club."

Read below to find out more about each of the Owls 2012 signees.

Kendall Hawkins – RHP, INF – Cartersville HS
- 2011 Junior Team GA
- 2011 GA top 100 Selection
- 2011 East Coast Pro Top 100 Showcase
- Member of 2009 State Championship Team
- Hit .375 and recorded 28 k’s in 25 innings pitched

Coach Sansing on Hawkins: "Kendall is an amazing athlete who's versatility will be able to help our program both on the mound and in the field. He will usually throw in the low 90’s and has developed a power slider that will be an out pitch at the college level. Kendall is a very positive and energetic young man who will be a perfect fit at Kennesaw State."

McLendon Hill – INF – Georgia Perimeter Junior College
- Member of 2010 Columbus High School Georgia State Championship Team
- 2010 Pre-Season All-State selection
- 2011 GA JUCO Gold Glove Award
- 2011 NJCAA Region 17 All-Tournament Team

Sansing on Hill: "McLendon is not only one of the best defenders and athletes in Georgia Junior College, but also one of the best competitors in the league. He has a plus arm and his speed makes him a threat on the bases. McLendon has won championships every place he has played and has been a leader and captain on all of these teams. McLendon always expects to win and holds his teammates to the same expectations. We look for McLendon to add intensity and leadership skills to our program in the future."


Jordan Hillyer – RHP, 3B, 1B – Hebron Christian HS
- 2011 Region 8 Player of the Year
- Team GA selection as a Sophomore and Junior
- 3 time All-Region
- GA Dugout Club top 100
- 12-2 139 k’s 1.83 ERA Career Pitching
- .472 22 HR’s 30 2b’s Career Hitting

Sansing on Hillyer: "Jordan is a proven winner playing a major role in Hebron Christian’s 2010 State Championship both on the mound and in the middle of their line-up. Jordan is a power arm that has been up to 93 and also a power threat at the plate. It’s rare to find a player that can impact a game in so many different ways and we are happy to have him make his decision official today on signing day."


Alex Liquori – OF – Whitewater HS
- Ranked 35th prospect in GA and 421st prospect in nation by Perfect Game
- GA Dugout Club Top 100
- Hit .448 with 10 HR’s and 51 RBI’s in 2011 High School Season
- 2011 East Coast Pro Selection
- All –Region Selection

Sansing on Liquori : "Alex has a rare combination of power and speed that will allow him to have the potential to be an all-conference performer for the Owls in upcoming years. Our staff feels Alex is one of the best athletes in the state and can help our program win games in many different ways whether it be stealing a base or hitting a 3 run home run. Alex also excels off the field and in the classroom and is a player that our staff can’t wait to work with on a daily basis."

Will Lowman – LHP – Pierce Co HS
- GA Dugout Club Top 100 selection
- Member of back to back elite 8 teams
- All-Region Selection
- 90k’s in 62 innings pitched with a 2.42 ERA in 2010

Sansing on Lowman: "Will is a very polished LHP that features a mid 80’s fastball with plus movement and a swing and miss curve ball that will be an out pitch at the college level. Our staff feels that Will has a chance to take a jump in velocity and the potential to be an impact left handed arm for the Owls. Beyond the diamond Will is a model citizen that spends his spare time heavily involved in his youth group and the FCA. He has been on mission trips in the Dominican Republic, volunteered with instructional camps, and helped with the “miracle league.” We are honored and proud that he will be representing our Athletic Program."

Cole McArthur – RHP, 3B – Northside Warner Robbins HS
- Ranked 41st in GA and 489th in nation by Perfect Game
- Sophomore Team GA Selection
- 1st Team All-Region 1AAAA in 2010

Sansing on McArthur: "Cole is another hard throwing RHP that also has had success also as a hitter and 3rd baseman during his high school career. Cole has a fastball with plus command that will top out around 91 mph which will give the opportunity to help our staff in many different roles. Cole is also an exceptional student and will bring much more to our team’s success both on and off the field."

Brennan Morgan – C – McIntosh HS
- Hit .456 with 5 HR’s and 26 RBI’s for McIntosh in 2010
- GA Dugout Club top 100
- Baseball Factory/Under Armour National Top Prospect
- Selected to Compete in Power Showcase in Phoenix AZ at Chase Field in December
- 2 time All-County in Baseball
- Varsity Letters in Baseball, Football, and Basketball

Sansing on Morgan: "Brennan is a great athlete and even a better competitor. Brennan plays every game with an extreme intensity that we look for in the recruiting process especially from the catcher position. Brennan has a great arm and has the potential to hit with power at the college level. We have been fortunate to have a great history of catchers at Kennesaw State and feel Morgan can continue this trend."

Michael Royal – RHP – Altoona HS
- 10-1 in junior season with 78 k’s in 64 innings.
- 2011 Cobb County Pitcher of the year
- 2011 1st Team All-Region and 1st Team All-County

Sansing on Royal: "We are very fortunate to add Michael to our pitching staff at KSU. Michael has a very quick live arm and is an unbelievable strike thrower. He has the ability to command three pitches which should help lead him continue his success at the college level."

Kal Simmons – INF – Berrien HS
- 3 Time All-Region SS
- Sophomore and Junior Team GA selection
- GA Dugout Club Top 100
- Will play on Goodwill USA Team in Australia in 2011

Sansing on Simmons: "We are thrilled that Kal will be making his decision to join Kennesaw State Baseball official with the NCAA on signing day. Kal is a versatile infielder that has the hands to play either middle infield position and the arm to play 3rd. He is a switch hitter with potential to hit with power from both sides and a work ethic that will be a perfect fit for our program. Kal is also extremely involved within his community working and volunteering at his church and other youth groups. We are excited about the leadership skills and character that Kal brings to our team."

Bo Way – OF – Middle GA Junior College
- Two Time Team GA Selection
- MVP twice for Team GA in Sunbelt Classic
- Led Middle GA in hits, triples, and stolen bases in 2011

Sansing on Way: "Bo is a very talented outfielder that has the arm and speed to play all 3 outfield positions for our team. He is an extremely competitive player and a tough out every single at-bat. Bo will bring two years of college experience to our program and should be able to use his athleticism and intensity to immediately contribute to our team."

Clint Wynn – 3B, 1B, RHP – Houston Co. HS
- 2 time All-Region as Junior
- Pitcher of year and two time 100 point award for defense and hitting
- Member of 2007 Warner Robbins Little League World Series Team
- .389 2 HR 9 2B 19 RBI’s

Sansing on Wynn: "Clint is another player in this class that can help us at multiple postions. Clint has a great 6’4 frame that projects both on the mound as well in the field and at the plate. We feel Clint has the potential to be middle of the line-up bat with plus power for the Owls. Clint also excels in the classroom and off the field and our staff is excited to have Clint represent our university."