KENNESAW, Ga. — Georgia defeated Kennesaw State 6-4 Tuesday in front of a sold-out Stillwell Stadium.
The Bulldogs (16-13) took a 3-0 lead in the first thanks in part to a pair of Owl miscues. Georgia loaded the bases on a leadoff double by Ben Anderson, Connor Tate was hit by a pitch and then Charlie Condon (3-for-5) laced a single to right to extend his on-base streak to 28 games. With one out, Corey Collins drew a bases-loaded walk. A couple of errors followed as Fernando Gonzalez and Cole Wagner reached on a fielder’s choice. The errant throws came to home plate and to second base. The Bulldogs left the bases loaded but staked senior Nolan Crisp to a 3-0 advantage.
The Owls (13-14) responded with a pair of runs on three hits in their half of the first to make it a 3-2 contest. The Bulldogs answered with another three-run outburst in the second to chase KSU starter Brayden Eidson following a two-run triple by Collins. It was the second career triple for Collins and made it 6-2. In the bottom of the second, freshman right-hander Leighton Finley was the second Bulldog pitcher to see action as part of a staff night.
Finley (2-0) provided a career-high four innings and allowed just one run on four hits with a walk and four strikeouts for the win. In the sixth with the Bulldogs holding a 6-3 lead, Georgia turned to graduate Dalton Rhadans. He pitched 1.2 innings before being lifted for sophomore Chandler Marsh with a runner at third and two outs in the seventh. KSU left fielder Nick Colina made it 6-4 with an RBI-single and then Marsh struck out Donovan Cash to send it to the eighth. The Owls threatened putting two on via a hit-by-pitch and a two-out walk before Marsh came back to register three strikeouts to maintain Georgia’s two-run lead.
In the ninth, the Bulldogs brought in junior Collin Caldwell who walked two and struck out two as part of a scoreless frame for his first save this year and third of his career. Eidson got the loss, allowing six runs on five hits in 1.1 innings.
"Leighton Finley was really good,” said Georgia’s Ike Cousins head baseball coach Scott Stricklin. “The plan was for him to go two innings, and he was efficient so he went back out there for the fourth inning and then the fifth inning too. Dalton (Rhadans) and Chandler (Marsh) had good stuff and got it to (Collin) Caldwell who made it interesting but found a way to get it done.”
With the victory, Georgia now has won four straight in the series. The Bulldogs return to Foley Field Friday for the start of a Southeastern Conference series with No. 10 Kentucky (25-3, 8-1 SEC). First pitch will be at 6 p.m.
