CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Another elaborate comeback led by a stellar outing from Tanner Franklin and disciplined at-bats late saw Kennesaw State baseball soar to a series-clinching 11-8 victory over Queens, splitting a doubleheader Saturday night.
The Owls (22-16, 12-6 Atlantic Sun Conference) trailed 7-4 entering the sixth inning of game three and posted three-run seventh and ninth innings to surpass the stingy offense supplied by the Royals (11-28, 7-11 ASUN).
Franklin (2-1) nabbed his second victory of the 2024 campaign behind a career-high 11-strikeout night, allowing zero hits and just one earned run that allowed the Kennesaw State offense to rally in the final innings. He pitched the final four frames in the Owls' 22nd victory of 2024.
Aaron Posey hit the go-ahead RBI in the top of the ninth with two outs that prompted the three-run inning.
Nick Hassan posted one of the more memorable days of his KSU career, tallying his 200th hit with four hits, seven RBI including a grand slam that came in pivotal moments for the Owl offense.
The senior became just the 10th Owl in Kennesaw State Division I history to achieve at least 200 career hits.
Left fielder Chris Cole had a notable Saturday with four hits and four runs scored across the two games Saturday.
Kennesaw State set a new Division I program record, drawing 15 walks in the series finale. The previous mark of 14 was set in 2007 at Jacksonville State.
The Owls came back to topple Queens Friday night, 6-5, in the series opener. KSU fell to the Royals in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader, 15-5.
GAME TWO - W, 11-8
Hassan continued his impressive Saturday into the series finale, sending his 200th hit to left that scored Cole. Cole reached on a single of his own - improving his reached-base streak to 17-straight games. The Royals evened the game at one in the bottom of the first.
Zac Corbin drew a four-pitch walk in the second, his seventh-straight game reaching safely. Queens took its first lead, 2-1, in the bottom of the inning.
Following walks from Hassan and Jackson Chirello in addition to a single from Posey, Corbin hit a 1-2 pitch into right that scored two and put KSU back in front, 3-2. Queens took a 5-3 lead in the bottom of the third.
A double from Isaac Bouton in the fourth scored Cole as the Owls got back within one, 5-4. The Royals led 7-4 after five.
Bouton added another on an one-RBI single that scored Shamaar McDuffie in the top of the sixth. Franklin entered in relief in the bottom of the seventh and struck out the side after the first two Queens batters reached base.
Queens collected the first two outs in the top of the seventh but allowed back-to-back walks from Donovan Cash and McDuffie. After a single from Brayden Eidson loaded the bases, Cole, Bouton and Hassan drew three consecutive bases-loaded walks to give Kennesaw State an 8-7 lead.
Eidson's single hit an umpire and bounced into center field that allowed Cash to come home but after review, they determined it was a dead ball and took the KSU run off the board. Queens tied the game at eighth in the bottom of the frame.
Franklin also struck out the side in the seventh, all on swinging strike three's. He collected nine-straight outs via punchout with three looking K's in the bottom of the eighth.
Posey mashed a single up the middle in the top of the ninth to score Cole from second, once again putting KSU in front, 9-8.
After Chirello drew a walk, Corbin and Cash hit back-to-back singles that added two more for the Black and Gold, 11-8, in the top of the ninth with two outs.
Franklin closed out the Royals in the bottom of the ninth with a flawless frame, adding two more punchouts to secure the 11-8 win.
The series finale was delayed by 90 minutes due to weather in the Charlotte area.
GAME ONE - L, 5-15 (8 innings)
Cole singled to center in the opening frame, extending his reached-base streak to 16 games. He then stole second for his sixth stolen bag of 2024.
With two on and none out for Queens in the bottom of the first, starter Blake Aita forced a pair of swinging strikeouts and a foul out to end the scoring threat. Corbin improved his reached-base streak to six games on a second-inning walk.
Posey notched his second hit of the contest in the fourth. Queens led 7-0 after four. Eidsonhas now reached safely in each of the last five games after being hit by a pitch in the fifth.
Cole tallied his second hit following Eidson's HBP on a double. After Bouton drew a walk, bases were loaded for Hassan.
The Owl catcher went yard on a 2-0 pitch, putting the Owls back in the game, 7-4. Three AB's later, Posey notched his third hit of 2024, also on a 2-0 pitch. The Royals took a 9-4 lead in the bottom of the inning.
Posey posted his second three-hit game in his last three outings.
McDuffie's reached-base streak now stands at five after a leadoff, eight-pitch walk in the sixth. After more walks from Eidson and Bouton, the bases were once again juiced for Hassan. On a 0-1 pitch, Hassan mashed an infield single that scored McDuffie, cutting the deificit to four, 9-5. Queens scored the final six runs to win via run rule, 15-5.
UP NEXT
KSU returns to the diamond Tuesday, April 23 for a 6:00 p.m. battle at Georgia Tech on ACC Network Extra.
The Owls' next game inside Stillwell Stadium is a rematch against the Georgia Bulldogs on Tuesday, April 30. Fans can purchase ticketshere.
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