JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A season-high in strikeouts for Chris Gau and early runs fueled Jacksonville University baseball to a series opening win over Kennesaw State Thursday at John Sessions Stadium.
With weather threatening all evening and after an abbreviated warmup, JU (35-17, 12-6) led the whole way, prevailing 5-2 over KSU (25-26, 11-8).
"Credit everybody in that locker room for staying focused, knowing that we were going to play tonight," said Head Coach Chris Hayes.
Gau's night started a little shaky, as an error and a walk in the first gave the Owls two base runners with one out, but a flyout and strikeout ended the frame and kept KSU off the board.
"The adrenaline got the most of me early," said Gau.
JU took advantage of a leadoff walk to Ruben Someillan in the bottom of the first, followed by Chris Lehane's single season record setting 15th sacrifice hit to move him into scoring position. Scott Dubrule then grounded one back to the pitcher, but it was thrown was over the head of the first baseman, a three-base error that scored Someillan. Angel Camacho smacked a sacrifice fly to right for his team-high 47th RBI of the season and JU led 2-0 after one.
"They feed off of each other's ability to compete at the plate," said Hayes. "They did a great job tonight of putting pressure on Kennesaw State."
Kennesaw State got one back in the third, when a leadoff walk and consecutive stolen bases came home to score on a sacrifice fly to right. JU answered in the bottom half, when Dubrule walked with one out, stole second and scored on Sam Armstrong's single up the middle to make it 3-1 Dolphins through three. Connor Stephens scored after Duncan Hunter singled to left with two-outs.
Gau (7-3) settled down after the start, taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning. Back-to-back two-out singles broke up the no-no, but recorded his 10th strikeout of the night to strand them both to go at least seven innings the 11th time this season and first after his streak was broken at USC Upstate last week.
"After I settled down in the third, I think I changed eye levels pretty well," said Gau. "They helped me a lot chasing sliders out of the zone.
"I watched the video of my last outing and saw what I was doing wrong mechanically and really focused on that."
"He sets the tone," said Hayes. "The way he competed made him great."
JU added an insurance run in the seventh when Lehane singled to center, went to third on a double play and scored on a balk. Kennesaw State scored one more in the eighth, setting up Chris Mauloni to lock down his 18th save of the season.
Jacksonville built its lead to a game and half over Kennesaw State for second place in the ASUN Conference. A series win clinches the two-seed in the ASUN Championship next week.
Jacksonville searches for a sixth conference series win tomorrow evening at 7 p.m. at John Sessions Stadium. Its Dollar Day at the park as Spencer Stockton takes the mound for the Dolphins.
