By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information

Battle Creek, MI---Despite a home run from Nick Collins and a two-hit game from Logan Shullick, the Express dropped an 8-3 road decision to Kellogg Community College.

Collins hit his homer to lead off the second inning and give Owens a 1-0 lead. They would keep that lead until the bottom half of the third when the Bruins pushed across three runs against Express starter Adam Jones.

Jones (0-2) went the first five innings and exited the game with his team down 4-1 after allowing an unearned run in the fifth. His final line included seven hits, four runs (three earned) and two walks.

Alex Juday took the mound in the sixth and allowed two runs on two hits and one walk.

The Express then added a run in the seventh after the first two batters were retired. Trevor Ozenbaugh was hit by a pitch and moved to third on a single by Shullick. Ozenbaugh then scored on a passed ball to make it 6-2.

Then, in the bottom half, the Bruins added two more unearned runs off Express reliever Aaron Peoples to make it 8-2.

Owens added one in the ninth when Nate Manis singled, stole second and third, and scored on an error.

Sean Koerber pitched a scoreless eighth inning for the Express while allowing only one hit.

Jeremy Bagnall started for the Bruins and picked up the win with his six innings of work. His final line included four hits, one run, two walks and five strikeouts. Cam Bortell (2 IP, one hit, one run - zero earned, two strikeouts) and Travis Moore (1 IP, one hit, one run - zero earned) also pitched for Kellogg.

Shullick finished 2-for-5 to lead the Express offensively. As a team, Owens hit 6-for-33 with three runs, one RBI, two walks and seven strikeouts. Shullick also had a team-high six assists at second base.

Notes

The Express (5-17, 1-3 OCCAC) are scheduled to take on Macomb Community College in a home tilt on Thursday at 3 p.m.