MARIETTA, Ga. – Rutgers baseball split its doubleheader with Kennesaw State in its first action of the season on Friday night at S. Walter Kelly Memorial Field. The Owls (1-1) used a late rally to win the first game, 5-3. The Scarlet Knights (1-1) responded with a ninth inning rally to take the nightcap, 3-1.
 
Game 1 Recap
The Scarlet Knights got a strong start from Shadek, who was making his collegiate debut. The redshirt freshman posted four scoreless innings, yielding three hits and two walks, while striking out five.
 
While the RU lineup was also held scoreless through four, a two-out rally broke the deadlock in the fifth. With runners on first and second, Trevor Cohen laced a single into center to score Matt Chatelle and make it 1-0.
 
With runners on second and third in the top of the sixth, JT Thompson beat out and infield single, allowing Peyton Bonds to score and give Rutgers a 2-0 advantage. In the seventh, Bonds added a third run on an RBI single to score Cohen and bring the score to 3-0.
 
The Owls would put five on the board in the bottom of the seventh to take control of the game, using a wild pitch, passed ball and a pair of singles to take a 5-3 advantage.
 
Two straight scoreless frames from the KSU bullpen secured the 5-3 victory in game one.
 
Cohen went 5-for-5 in the game with two doubles, an RBI and a run scored. Peyton Bonds went 2-for-5 with an RBI and run scored and JT Thompson went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
 
Game 2 Recap
Once again, Rutgers got a strong outing from a pitcher making their first career start. True freshman Landon Mack went four scoreless, allowing just three hits, striking out three and walking none.
 
The RU offense manufactured a run in the top of the fifth, started by a leadoff single from Bonds. Pablo Santos laid down a sacrifice bunt and true freshman Yomar Carreras singled up the middle to score Bonds.
 
After the Owls tied it in the bottom half, both pitching staffs posted zeroes into the ninth.
 
With one out in the ninth, Brennan Hyde was hit by a pitch. After taking second and going to third on a wild pitch, he gave the Scarlet Knights the lead on another wild pitch. With Ty Doucette on second later in the frame, Santos doubled off the wall in right to score him and make it 3-1.
 
After already having pitched a scoreless eighth, Mike Timberlake threw a scoreless ninth to close out the victory.
 
The series finale and rubber game between RU and KSU is set for 1 p.m. on Saturday.

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