Owls rally to take series opener

Friday, May 1

Kennesaw, Ga.

5:00 PM

20-26, 9-13

Kennesaw State

20-22, 9-13

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Sam Houston	1	3	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	5	8	2
Kennesaw State	1	1	2	0	0	2	0	0	X	6	13	1

Photo by: Bryan Dykstra

Owls rally to take series opener

5/1/2026 8:40:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

KENNESAW, Ga. – Sam Houston built an early lead, but the Kennesaw State bullpen showed up big and led the Owls to a 6-5 comeback win over the Bearkats in the series opener on Friday night at Mickey Dunn Stadium.

The Kats (20-26, 9-13 CUSA) put up four runs in the first two frames, but scored just one run the remainder of the way against KSU (20-22, 9-13 CUSA) relievers Ty Bayer and Daniel Powell who combined to rack up 12 of the 13 strikeouts recorded by Owl pitchers in the game.

Jeric Curtis homered for the second time this year and drove in a pair, but his solo homer in the seventh was one of just three Bearkat hits in the final seven frames.

Bayer picked up his sixth win of the year for KSU, going 5.1 innings of relief with six punchouts and only two hits allowed. Powell then went the final 2.2 innings for his sixth save of the year, striking out six of his own and leaving the tying run in scoring position in the ninth.

KSU was able to do the bulk of its damage against Bearkat staff ace Ryan Peterson who allowed six runs on 11 hits. He struck out six and did not walk a batter in 5.2 innings of work, but saw five of KSU's 11 hits go for extra bases, including a pair of home runs to first baseman Jackson Chierello.

The second blast from Chirello proved to be just enough for Kennesaw, snapping a 4-4 tie and pushing the Owls ahead for the first time in the game at 6-4 in the sixth.

The Kats got it back to 6-5 on Curtis' opposite-field blast in the seventh and he made things interesting in the ninth, singling with one out and moving into scoring position on a wild pitch. But Powell dialed up consecutive strikeouts of Cade Corcoran and Nathan Fink to keep Curtis on the bases and secure the save.

Sam Houston had offense going early with four runs in the first two innings, opening things with a run in the first on an RBI double form Corcoran. An inning later the Kats used a single from Sean Bazmore and a pair of balls on the infield to push the lead to 4-1.

That offensive burst came against Owl starter Cooper McMullen and his offense was able to get him off the hook quickly with three straight scoring innings to open the game against Peterson, tying it on a ground ball by James McGee to cap a 2-run third.

Chirello got his first longball of the night in the second and finished with three hits in the game. Leadoff man Chris Cole also had a nice night with a pair of doubles, while Cooper Williams had three hits and scored a run.

UP NEXT
The Kats will look to even the series on Saturday in the second game of the weekend. First pitch is set for 3:00 p.m. CT from Mickey Dunn Stadium. The game is scheduled to be aired on ESPN+.