It was an afternoon of missed opportunities for the Georgia Southern baseball team, which had its chances Wednesday but failed to come up with timely hits.
The Eagles got behind early and stranded a total 12 runners, eventually dropping a 7-6 a non-conference matchup to Kennesaw State at J.I. Clements Stadium.
GSU left four runners on board in the first two innings and plated just one run after loading the bases with one out in the fourth. They were also held scoreless in the sixth despite having two on with one out and came up empty during a two-out, bases loaded situation in the eighth.
“We just didn’t get the big hits today when we needed it,” Eagle coach Rodney Hennon said. “We had plenty of opportunities and just couldn’t capitalize. We dug ourselves a hole early. We’ve got to get off to a better start.”
The high-powered Eagles (16-11) entered the game leading the nation in home runs per game (2.2), but afterwards Hennon implored the importance of not abandoning their short game.
“We went through a stretch there where we were swinging the bats about as well as we could, and you are going to have days like we had today where maybe you don’t swing the bat quite as well,” he said. “We had some opportunities to execute with a short game and help ourselves, and on days when you’re not swinging it quite as well, you’ve got to do that. We can’t just get caught up in home runs. We’ve got to score runs in a variety of ways.”
GSU was on the verge of a come-from-behind rally in the ninth after third baseman A.J. Wirnsberger led off the inning with a solo shot to dead center field — his second home run of the day — to pull the Eagles within one at 7-6. Jeremiah Parker then dropped a single into the gap in left center, but Owls reliever Michael Bohana set the next three batters down in order to earn his fourth save.
The Eagles used seven pitchers on the night, including four in the first five innings before finding stability in the fifth with Burt Barto, who set down eight of the nine batters he faced including six in a row to begin his outing. Trent Franzago took the mound for the first time in several weeks an inning earlier, allowing one earned run and two hits in the fourth.
“I thought (Franzago) had good stuff, he’s just a little rusty from being on the shelf,” Hennon said. “Burt did a good job for us, and Tony Chisman I thought threw the ball well.”
Chisman tossed 1 1/3 innings of shutout relief. Metter’s Justin Davis (1-3) started for the Eagles and was on a limited pitch count but lasted just 1 1/3 innings, allowing two earned runs and five hits. He struck out one and walked one. Charlie Strohecker pitched GSU out of a one-out bases-loaded jam in the ninth.
Kennesaw State (12-16) slammed a pair of two-run home runs to put Georgia Southern in a 4-0 hole after two and a half innings. Wirnsberger did his best to get the Eagles back in the game when his two-run shot to left made it 7-5 in the seventh and his ninth-inning homer pulled the Eagles within one. He was 2-for-5 with three RBIs while extending his hitting streak to 13 games and recording his second career two home run game.
Chris Shehan was 3-for-4 with his team-leading 10th home run, a solo shot to center to lead off the sixth. Griffin Benedict added three hits, and Tye Wright stretched his hitting streak to 12 games with a single in the eighth. GSU out-hit the Owls 14-13.
The Eagles resume Southern Conference play Friday at Elon.
Alex Pellegrino can be reached at (912) 489-9413.
The Eagles got behind early and stranded a total 12 runners, eventually dropping a 7-6 a non-conference matchup to Kennesaw State at J.I. Clements Stadium.
GSU left four runners on board in the first two innings and plated just one run after loading the bases with one out in the fourth. They were also held scoreless in the sixth despite having two on with one out and came up empty during a two-out, bases loaded situation in the eighth.
“We just didn’t get the big hits today when we needed it,” Eagle coach Rodney Hennon said. “We had plenty of opportunities and just couldn’t capitalize. We dug ourselves a hole early. We’ve got to get off to a better start.”
The high-powered Eagles (16-11) entered the game leading the nation in home runs per game (2.2), but afterwards Hennon implored the importance of not abandoning their short game.
“We went through a stretch there where we were swinging the bats about as well as we could, and you are going to have days like we had today where maybe you don’t swing the bat quite as well,” he said. “We had some opportunities to execute with a short game and help ourselves, and on days when you’re not swinging it quite as well, you’ve got to do that. We can’t just get caught up in home runs. We’ve got to score runs in a variety of ways.”
GSU was on the verge of a come-from-behind rally in the ninth after third baseman A.J. Wirnsberger led off the inning with a solo shot to dead center field — his second home run of the day — to pull the Eagles within one at 7-6. Jeremiah Parker then dropped a single into the gap in left center, but Owls reliever Michael Bohana set the next three batters down in order to earn his fourth save.
The Eagles used seven pitchers on the night, including four in the first five innings before finding stability in the fifth with Burt Barto, who set down eight of the nine batters he faced including six in a row to begin his outing. Trent Franzago took the mound for the first time in several weeks an inning earlier, allowing one earned run and two hits in the fourth.
“I thought (Franzago) had good stuff, he’s just a little rusty from being on the shelf,” Hennon said. “Burt did a good job for us, and Tony Chisman I thought threw the ball well.”
Chisman tossed 1 1/3 innings of shutout relief. Metter’s Justin Davis (1-3) started for the Eagles and was on a limited pitch count but lasted just 1 1/3 innings, allowing two earned runs and five hits. He struck out one and walked one. Charlie Strohecker pitched GSU out of a one-out bases-loaded jam in the ninth.
Kennesaw State (12-16) slammed a pair of two-run home runs to put Georgia Southern in a 4-0 hole after two and a half innings. Wirnsberger did his best to get the Eagles back in the game when his two-run shot to left made it 7-5 in the seventh and his ninth-inning homer pulled the Eagles within one. He was 2-for-5 with three RBIs while extending his hitting streak to 13 games and recording his second career two home run game.
Chris Shehan was 3-for-4 with his team-leading 10th home run, a solo shot to center to lead off the sixth. Griffin Benedict added three hits, and Tye Wright stretched his hitting streak to 12 games with a single in the eighth. GSU out-hit the Owls 14-13.
The Eagles resume Southern Conference play Friday at Elon.
Alex Pellegrino can be reached at (912) 489-9413.
