Box Score AIKEN, SC--Grant Reynolds tied a Peach Belt Conference record with 19 strikeouts as the second-ranked Kennesaw State Owls (17-5, 7-3 PBC) beat the USC Aiken Pacers (15-11, 3-6 PBC) 14-4 in the series opener on Friday night at J.H. Satcher Field.  It marks the seventh-straight win for KSU in the overall series.  

The Owls got on the board early with four in the first inning off Pacer starter Mike Pomaville.  Jon Love singled home Wes Newsomewho got things started with a one-out double.  Catcher Kevin Gergel then smacked a two-out double to center field to make it 4-0 Owls.  

The situation got worse in the second inning as KSU plated seven more runs on four hits and one error.  Pomaville (3-3) lasted just 1.1 innings allowing nine runs, eight earned, on six hits and three walks, striking out two in the loss.  

Following the 11-run eruption in the opening two innings, the Pacers did settle down and actually out scored the Owls 4-3 over the final 7.0 innings.  Ashley Farr (7) led off the fourth inning with a solo homer to center field to give the Pacers its first run of the game.  Tony Hanks singled and later scored on a RBI single off the bat of Leroy Walker to trim the lead to 11-2.  

In the bottom of the ninth, USCA tacked on two more runs on a two-out, two RBI single to left field by Farr scoring Adam Strongmanand Casey Calhoun and setting the final margin at 14-4.  

Reynolds (4-1) entered the bottom of the ninth with 18 strikeouts, one shy of Jeremy Ward's (Armstrong Atlantic State) PBC record set on April 28, 2001 versus UNC Pembroke.  He got Walker to fan to tie the record, but could not get the rest of the Pacer lineup to strikeout.  The 2002 PBC Pitcher of the Year tossed his fourth complete game scattering eight hits, allowing four earned runs, striking out 19 and walking four.  He struck out the side in the second, fourth, sixth, and eighth innings.

Two freshmen and a transfer pitched well in relief for head coach Kenny Thomas and the Pacers.  Freshmen Chris Wilson and Nick Wandless along with transfer Josh Rhoden worked the final 6.2 innings giving up three earned runs on six hits and three walks, striking out three.  

Farr finished 2-for-4 with three RBI to lead USCA.  

Love, Jeremy Brotherton, and Scott Hendrix each registered three hits to lead the Owls, combining for seven RBI and five runs scored.  

USC Aiken and #2 Kennesaw State will play a doubleheader on Saturday, March 15 starting at 1:00 PM.  

#2 Kennesaw State    470    010    011    -    14    15    1
USC Aiken                    000    200    002    -      4      8    1