KENNESAW, Ga. – Trailing 3-0 heading into the seventh inning, the Jacksonville University baseball team rallied five runs in the last three frames as they defeated conference-rival Kennesaw State, 5-3 on Friday evening. The series continues with an afternoon start slated for 2 p.m. Saturday at Stillwell Stadium.

Austin Hays (1-for-4) drove in the go-ahead run—an RBI single in the ninth. Connor Marabel (1-for-5) broke the tie, scoring the go-ahead run after leading off the frame with a single. Three Dolphins recorded multi-hit efforts.

Michael Baumann (6-1) stranded seven runners on base and struck out seven. Gregory Shannahan (4-2) got the win after pitching two shutout innings, while Nathan Disch recorded Save No. 6 with a scoreless ninth.

"It was a complete team effort," said head coach Tim Montez. "The guys that came off the bench all delivered, they were in the game from the first pitch on today. Big Mike (Baumann) continues to open everybody's eyes to how special he is." 

Jacksonville (22-27; 8-8 A-Sun) are a half game back of Kennesaw State (25-23; 8-7 A-Sun) with the victory and currently sit in the sixth seed. With five games remaining, they are three up on Northern Kentucky and four up on USC Upstate.

A pitcher's duel was the highlight for most of the game with Baumann and Jordan Hillyer from Kennesaw State going toe-to-toe. Hillyer would surrender no earned runs in seven innings, striking out six. The two combined to strand 17 runners on base, while allowing just 15 hits.

The turning point, the pinch-hitting Dylan Dillard (1-for-1) drove a sharp, line drive down the left-field line for a double to lead off the eighth.  Advancing to third on a wild pitch, Hays would chop a grounder to short, scoring Dillard for his first RBI of the game.

Down 3-2, Garrett Ruckel (1-for-2) would draw the four-pitch walk and the tying run was in scoring position. Michael Babb (0-for-1) would pinch-run for Ruckel and he would be the eventual tying run-who advanced to third, after an errant throw trying to check on the speed threat in Nathan Koslowski (1-for-1) aboard after a single to second base.

After plating the go-ahead run in Marabell, the Dolphins added an insurance run with Alex Seifert (0-for-0), who was aboard after getting hit by the pitch. 

Disch would mow threw the order and the Dolphins captured game one of a conference series for the fifth time. 

In the seventh, the Dolphins would plate their first run of the game. Parker Perez (2-for-4) led off with a single and stole second base. Angelo Amendolare (2-for-5) would reach by an errant throw to first, scoring Perez from second for their first run of the game. Sam Armstrong also delivered with a 2-for-3 outing with two singles.

Jacksonville is in midst of a grueling eight-game road trip after dropping a midweek series to FIU on Tuesday and Wednesday.

"Bottom line is everyone did their part and it was a big win after the long week," said Montez. "These guys deserve a lot of credit. It's all about 'we' [not me] and they did a great job of staying true to that tonight."

Game 2 is slated for a 2 p.m. start while the third and final game of Jacksonville's road schedule concludes with a 1 p.m. start on Sunday.

@JUBaseball | #FearTheFin