KENNESAW, Ga. – For the second time in as many days, a late-inning offensive surge separated a close game. This time, Jacksonville University baseball produced runs over the latter innings to pull away, winning 10-6 over Kennesaw State on Saturday.
The Dolphins (20-16, 7-10) scored four in the eight and collected six extra-base hits at Stillwell Stadium to even the series against the Owls.
JU struck first, getting a run in the second on
Tommy Joseph's solo home run to left. The Dolphins tacked on two more in the third.
TJ Curd reached on a wild pitch strikeout to start the inning and
Chase Malloy was hit by a pitch.
Jesus Pacheco hit into a fielder's choice and
Christian Coipel bounced a ball up the middle that cleared the head of both converging middle infielders, leading to a double and driving in two runs to make it 3-0.
KSU tied it in the bottom half. A leadoff single was cut down on a fielder's choice, but an error put runners at the corners and a wild pitch brought in the Owls first run. A double drove in another and an RBI single immediately followed to tie it at three, before
Michael Darrell-Hicks induced a flyout to center to strand the bases loaded.
The Owls took a 4-3 lead in the fourth after a leadoff walk and a single put runners at the corners. A suicide squeeze gave KSU the lead, before
Tyler Naumann got a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.
JU quickly answered back, scoring two in the fifth. Malloy was hit by a pitch for the second time to lead off the inning and stole second before Pacheco was walked. Coipel poked a single the other way to left to drive in Malloy and tie the game at four.
Trace Burchard hit a groundball to short and the Owls tried to turn a double play, but a throwing error allowed for him to reach and drive in Pacheco to put JU in front 5-4.
A leadoff double in the bottom of the fifth, followed by a hit batsman set up KSU. A sacrifice hit moved the runners over and a fly ball to foul territory in right field was caught by Bale DeLamielleure for the second out. The runner at third tagged and DeLamielleure's throw was not in time to get him, tying the game again at five.
Again, the Dolphins had an answer. The sixth started with Joseph hitting a double to center, and he advanced to third on an errant pickoff attempt by the KSU catcher. Curd hit a double to center to plate Joseph and JU were back in the lead, 6-5.
Naumann allowed a one-out double in the bottom of the sixth, but registered consecutive strikeouts to strand the runner. Again in the seventh, KSU threatened. The leadoff man reached on a single, and advanced to second on a groundout to third. After Naumann got a strikeout,
Bryce Fisher came in and got a lineout to third to end the inning and stranded the tying run in scoring position again.
The eighth inning started with Joseph's second double of the game, and opposite field drive to left-center.
Clayton Hodges entered as a pinch-runner, and advanced to third on a groundout. Malloy drew a two-out walk and stole second, and Pacheco beat out an infield single that scored both. Coipel immediately followed with a monster two-run bomb to straightway center and the JU lead grew to five, 10-5.
A walk, hit batsman, walk and hits batsman in consecutive at-bats allowed KSU to score a run in the bottom of the ninth and bring the tying run to the plate.
Tyler Vogel entered out of the pen, and on his first pitch, induced a 4-6-3 double play to end the game.
ON DECK
Jacksonville tries to capture the series vs. Kennesaw State tomorrow afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
THREE STRIKES
- Chase Malloy was hit by two pitches, and is now one shy of the single-season program record of 16
- Christian Coipel collected his first five-hit game of his career, becoming the second Dolphin to do it this season and the 11 in JU history
- Tommy Joseph picked up his second career three-hit game and his second in his last three games. All three of his hits were for extra bases (two doubles and a home run)
