PISCATAWAY, NJ—Kennesaw State registered an ASUN Conference doubleheader sweep over NJIT, 13-11 in game one, which saw seven home runs and 18-8 in game two Saturday at Bainton Field on the campus of Rutgers University.

Kennesaw State improves to 21-23 overall, an even 7-7 in ASUN action while the Highlanders move to 12-23-1 overall, 4-13 in the ASUN.

The two team will wrap up the three-game series on Sunday at 12pm.

NJIT combined for 15 hits in game one, led by LF Julio Marcano, who finished 3-for-5 with five RBI, including two home runs.

In game two, NJIT registered 12 hits, paced by senior SS Justin Etts, who went 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs, including his fifth home run of the season in the bottom of the seventh, a two-run shot.

Game One | KSU 13, NJIT 11
NJIT's Julio Marcano finished 3-for-5 with five RBI and two runs, including two home runs while Brett Helmkamp went 3-for-5 with three runs batted in.  Senior SS Justin Etts and CF Michael Anastasia each registered a pair hits.

Junior righty Jared Kacso took a no-decision, pitching 7.0 strong innings, allowing six runs on 10 hits while striking out four Owl batters.  NJIT's fourth pitcher, Bryce Short (0-1) took the loss, letting up two runs and three hits.

Kennesaw State's third pitcher, Deviner McCray was credited with the win, picking up his first win of the season, pitching 1.1 innings, giving up two hits and one Highlander run, a home run in the ninth to Nick Hussey.

After two scoreless innings to open the first game of the scheduled doubleheader, NJIT scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the third, taking a 2-0 lead over Kennesaw State.

Freshman 2B Brett Helmkamp drove in the first Highlander run with a ground out to shortstop, scoring CF Michael Anastasia, who single to right field and advanced two bases after a throwing error by the Owls right fielder.  Sophomore LF Julio Marcano knocked home his fifth home run of the season to left field, pushing the Highlander lead to 2-0.

NJIT pushed it lead to 5-0 in the bottom of the fifth, after a three-run shot to left field by Julio Marcano, his second of the game and sixth of the season.  Senior SS Justin Etts led off the inning with a single to shortstop while Anastasia followed with a bunt single down the first baseline.

Kennesaw State tacked on its first run of the game in the top of the seventh with an RBI double to the left field wall by Jalen Smith.

The Owls scored nine runs on seven hits, including two home runs in the inning, taking a 10-5 lead in the top of the eighth.

Junior RF Matthew Cocciadiferro led off the bottom of the eight with a solo blast to left field, his third home run of the season and Etts hit in an RBI single to right field, scoring C Paul Franzoni, who doubled down the left field line.  Helmkamp drove in a pair of runs with a two-out single up the middle and Julio Marcano drove in the fifth run in the inning, knotting the game at 10-all.

Kennesaw State regained the lead in the top of the ninth, 13-10, with an RBI single up the middle by Tyler Tolve and a two-run home run to left field by Tyler Simon.

NJIT added a single run in the bottom of the ninth on a home run to left field by Nick Hussey, his fourth of the season.

Game Two | KSU 18, NJIT 8
Etts paced the Highlanders in game two, going 2-for-4 with three runs batted in and two runs, including his fifth home run of the season.  RF Matthew Cocciadiferro finished 2-for-3 with one RBI, including a pair of doubles in the game.

NJIT's LHP Chris Gibbons, the Highlanders fifth pitcher in the game, entered in the middle of the fifth and held Kennesaw State scoreless over the final 4.1 innings, allowing just five hits while, fanning three Owl batters.

The Owls jumped on the board quickly in game two, scoring on an RBI single to left field by Jaylen Smith for a 1-0 lead in the top of the second.

NJIT tied the game at 1-1 on a fielding error by the Owls in the bottom of the second, scoring Matthew Cocciadiferro, who doubled to left center, stole third and scored on the error on Justin Etts at-bat.

Kennesaw State regained the lead in the top of the seventh on an RBI single to right field by Garrett Hodges and a two-out two-run homer run to center field by Justin Russell for a 4-1 lead.

The Owls exploded for nine runs on six hits in the top of the fourth to break open the game, 13-1.

NJIT scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth on a two-run homer to left center field by Justin Etts, driving in Nick Hussey, who led off the inning with a single up the middle. 

Kennesaw State rallied in the top of the fifth, scoring five runs, extending its lead to 16-3.

The Highlanders added two runs in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI double to right field by Cocciadiferro, scoring David Marcano, who led off the inning with a single to shortstop and RBI single to right field by pinch hitter Edgar Badaraco.

In the bottom of the ninth, NJIT added three runs on back-to-back RBI singles by Etts and 3B Jared Donnelly and a fielder's choice by CF Andrew Elcock.