For the second time this week, the Stetson baseball team saw an early lead turn into late heartbreak as visiting Kennesaw State scored three runs in the final two innings Thursday night at Melching Field to take a 4-2 victory over the Hatters in the first game of a three-game series.
 
The loss for Stetson (15-21, 5-2), combined with Jacksonville's 6-5 win over Lipscomb, drops the Hatters out a share of first play in the ASUN. KSU improved to 16-18 overall and is now tied with Stetson and North Florida for second place at 5-2 in the league. UNF opened its weekend with a 13-8 victory over NJIT.
 
Hatters junior Brooks Wilson (2-3) battled against the Owls all night as Kennesaw State continually applied pressure in the form of base runners. Wilson dealt with the pressure to strand six Owls on base through the first five innings.
 
"He got into some hitters counts and those guys have a very good team," Stetson coach Steve Trimper said. "I knew going into this series that they have a veteran club that swings the bats very well. We knew we had to locate our pitches. I love the bulldog and fight in Brooks because he kept them to three runs. He gave us a chance to win."
 
While Wilson was battling against the Kennesaw State lineup, Owls starter Tony Dibrell (4-2) had his own struggles with the Hatters, especially early in the game. Stetson had 10 hits in the game, but Dibrell did not walk anyone and he kept his pitch count down by throwing strikes in going the distance.
 
The Hatters had a chance to get a run in the second inning when Colton Lightner delivered a two-out double with Austin Bogart running from first. The Owls kept the run off the board with a perfect relay throw from Jake Franklin in left, to shortstop David Chabut to catcher Griffin Helms to easily get Bogart, ending the inning.
 
Stetson did get on the board in the third when Jacob Koos singled, stole second and third, and then scored on a Mike Spooner double. The Hatters had a chance to score again in the fourth after Jorge Arenas led off with a double. That inning came apart quickly after Bogart's sacrifice bunt attempt resulted in Arenas getting thrown out at third and then Kirk Sidwell lined into an inning ending double play.
 
"It came down to execution," Trimper said. "If that one bunt gets down, it changes the dynamic of that inning and potentially changes the dynamic in the last inning as to who we have at the plate."
 
The Owls finally broke through against Wilson in the top of the sixth, getting consecutive one-out hits from Helms, Taylor Allum and Franklin to tie the game at 1-1. After an infield single by Jeremy Howell loaded the bases, Wilson got a strikeout and a ground ball to avoid further damage.
 
Stetson answered right back in the bottom of the sixth after Spooner was hit by a pitch and moved up to second on a balk. Arenas delivered a two-out double to score the run for a 2-1 Hatters lead.
 
"We had 10 hits, but we only scored two runs. That is a lot of guys on base," Trimper said. "We wanted to try to steal some bases on him, but we didn't get into those situations. We wanted to sit on his fastball and had a good plan, and we put some good swings on him, we just couldn't put the nails in his coffin."
 
Fatigue set in for Wilson in the eighth inning after he retired the first two Owls in the frame. Franklin, Howell, Chabut and Williams strung together consecutive singles to plate the tying and go-ahead runs.
 
Tyler Keller came on to get the final out of the inning, but the Hatters trailed for the first time in the game, 3-2.
 
KSU tacked on an insurance run in the ninth without even getting a hit. Keller walked Chris Erwin to start the inning and then hit Austin Upshaw in the face with a pitch. A sacrifice bunt put two runners in scoring position before Keller walked Allum intentionally to load the bases.
 
Freshman Ryan Stark came in from the pen and hit pinch-hitter Garrett Hodges on the foot to force in a run. Stark struck out the next two Owls, but the damage was done.
 
Arenas and Bogart opened the home ninth with consecutive singles, but Dibrell got Sidwell to ground into a double play and then got Lightner on a ground ball to close out the game.
 
"We needed to try to get a big hit right there instead of trying to move the runners over," Trimper said. "The call didn't work out, but I was trying to play for a win in that situation. Unfortunately we hit into a double play. That is just the way it goes sometimes, I just wish we hadn't been in that situation.
 
"The biggest thing is that the bullpen has to be able to come in and stop them from scoring because that extra run changed the dynamics of what we had to do in the last inning. If they don't score that extra run, then we are in a bunt situation and then a hit-and-run situation. That is where we have to get that bullpen locked down."
 
For the second straight outing, Wilson threw more than 130 pitches in his start. He allowed three runs on 11 hits while walking two. He had seven strikeouts to increase his season total to 85.
 
"It is going to get old having our starters go 130 pitches in every game," Trimper said. "Someone has to step up in the bullpen, and leadoff walks can't happen."
 
Arenas led Stetson with three hits in the game, including a pair of doubles. Bogart and Austin Hale had two hits each as well. Howell led KSU with three hits out of the No. 9 spot in the batting order. Williams and Franklin added two hits each.
 
The Hatters will look to even the series on Friday night when sophomore Jack Perkins (3-3, 2.51) goes to the mound. He will square off against KSU junior right-hander A.J. Moore (3-3, 5.75). The game is scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. first pitch.
 
About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program has a vision of developing a culture of champions athletically, academically and within the community. This vision is accomplished through a mission of recruiting and developing student-athletes, coaches and staff, creating a culture of champions, within and outside of competition. The department operates with five core values: Championship Culture, Integrity, Excellence, Pride/Tradition and Leadership. To learn more about the Vision, Mission and Core Values for Stetson Athletics, visit GoHatters.com and click on Mission Statement under the Inside Athletics tab.