GAME ONE BOX | GAME TWO BOX

KENNESAW, Ga. - Robb Paller and David Vandercook each drove in two runs, while Joey Donino and Adam Cline combined to give up just six hits, as Columbia took down Kennesaw State, 9-3, in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday. The Owls bounced back with a 15-1 victory in the nightcap at Stillwell Stadium.

GAME ONE RECAP
Columbia racked up nine runs on 13 hits to roll past Kennesaw State in the opener Saturday afternoon, 9-3. John Kinne led the way with three hits, while Aaron Silbar, Paller and Logan Boyher each contributed two in the victory.

Starting pitcher Joey Donino sat down five batters in six innings, giving up just five hits and three runs (two earned) to pick up the win, while Adam Cline come on in relief and threw three innings of one-hit ball to pick up the save.

The Lions jumped out early on the Owls, scoring the first run of the game in the top of the first frame. Serena and Kinne each singled to put runners at the corners with no outs. KSU starting pitcher Travis Bergen was able to get a double play in the next at bat, but Serena raced home on the play to put Columbia ahead 1-0.

Kennesaw State jumped ahead on the scoreboard with a pair of runs in the fourth frame off an Alex Liquori single to right field and then added another run to its lead in the fifth. Dylan Ivey reached safely to begin the inning on a fielding error and after being sacrificed up to second base, Jacob Bruce brought him home with a single down the right field line.

Columbia struck back with a trio of runs for itself in the seventh inning to reclaim the lead. The Lions loaded the bases on a Boyher single, a Gus Craig walk and a KSU fielding error that allowed Mike Fischer to reach safely. David Vandercook then stood in and ripped a single to left field, scoring Boyher. A KSU pitching change led to Joey Falcone pinch hitting for the Lions. The junior grounded out to second, but garnered an RBI as Craig scored on the play. Columbia's third run of the inning came off the bat of Serena in the form of a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Fischer.

Leading 4-3 entering the final inning, the Lions broke open the game with five more runs on four hits. Craig reached safely on another KSU error to begin the ninth and advanced up to third on a pair of wild pitches. Vandercook grounded out for the first out, but Craig once again crossed the plate for a Columbia run. First-year Kyle Bartelman brought home Fischer, who had walked earlier in the frame, with a double to right center, improving the lead to 6-3. Columbia added the final three runs with two outs, as Paller's single back up the middle plated Serena and Bartleman, followed by Boyher driving one through the middle to bring around Kinne.

GAME TWO RECAP
Columbia and KSU were tied at 1-1 after the top of the fifth inning, but a six run bottom half of the frame set the stage for a 15-1 victory for the Owls in game two Saturday.

KSU got on the board first with a Bo Way RBI that scored Bruce, putting the Owls ahead 1-0. That score remained intact until the top of the fifth when a two-out RBI single to centerfield from Vandercook plated Nick Maguire to knot the score at 1-1.

The Owls' bats came alive in the bottom half of the fifth with six hits and an equal number of runs to take control, 7-1. KSU added three runs in both the sixth and seventh inning and then two more in the eighth to post the 15-1 score.

Nathan Harsh picked up the win for the Owls to move to 2-1 on the year after throwing 105 pitches over seven innings, recording seven strikeouts.

The series wraps up with a single game Sunday afternoon at Stillwell Stadium at 1 p.m.