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Phillips ties GSU's career hits record in win
EricPhillips
Eric Phillips, Georgia Southern baseball player. - photo by Georgia Southern AMR


    KENNESAW — Georgia Southern's baseball team finished its non-conference slate with a 7-3 victory over Kennesaw State on Tuesday night. The Eagles outscored the Owls, 4-1, over the final five innings to pick up their third straight victory and their third straight season series sweep.
    GSU (29-24) was led by Eric Phillips, who sparked the scoring with his 326th career hit, a solo home run that extended the Eagles' lead to 4-2. The hit tied the all-time school record set by Scott Henley in 2001. Three batters later T.D. Davis cashed in back-to-back walks and plated Chase Griffin with an RBI single.
    The Eagles added two runs in the eighth inning after Andrew Austin walked with the bases loaded to start the frame. GSU jumped ahead 7-3 after a wild pitch and a bases-loaded walk by reliever Zack Griffith.
    However, the Eagles had to hold on in the ninth inning after Kennesaw State (29-22) put runners on the corners and the tying run in the on-deck circle. With no outs on the scoreboard, Jarret Leverett came on in relief and retired the first three batters he faced in order. Leverett struck out two of the three batters he faced for his fifth save.
    GSU struck for two runs off Owls starter Nathan Harsch to start the game. The Eagles scored both tallies on Garren Palmer's two-out single. Leadoff hitter Scooter Williams was caught in a run down trying to score the first run but allowed two runners to move into scoring position before he was tagged out.
    Harsch got both runs back in the second inning. Andy Chriscaden started the rally with a double into the left-field corner and scored the first of two runs on back-to-back singles by Will Howard and Max Pentecost.