EMERSON, Ga. - The Indiana University Kokomo baseball team opened their 2023 campaign Friday afternoon in Georgia with a 14-2 rout of Point University.

Junior RHP Ben Harris started on the bump and tossed four innings to earn the win. Harris gave up four hits and one earned run while striking out four and walking just one Skyhawk batter. Connor Hurt threw the final three innings in relief, allowing just one hit and one earned run while striking out four.

Riley Garczynski got the scoring started early for IU Kokomo, hitting a lead-off home-run to put the Cougars in front 1-0. Nolan Bowser followed Garczynski with a double off of the center-field wall, the first of four hits on the day for Bowser in his IU Kokomo debut. Three-hole hitter Dylan Steele singled to center to score Bowser and give IU Kokomo a 2-0 lead after a half inning. 

Ben Harris walked the first batter he faced Friday, but would not allow another free pass. The Skyhawks managed to push one across in the bottom of the first to make it a 2-1 IUK lead.

Bowser came to the plate with the bases-loaded in the second, singling to center-field to score two and make it a three-run IUK lead.

Point managed to keep the Cougars off the scoreboard in the third, but IUK added two more runs in the fourth for a 6-1 lead. The Cougars took advantage of an error that would have gotten the Skyhawks out of the inning, as Bowser came through with another RBI single and Steele earned an RBI on a fielder's choice. IUK led 6-1 after four innings.

Jack Leverenz reached via a throwing error in the top of the fifth and would advance to second with one out after a throwing error. Leverenz stole third base and would score on a ground-ball off the bat of Thomas Obergfell, giving IU Kokomo a 7-1 lead. 

IU Kokomo was kept off the scoreboard in the sixth and Point scored via a solo-shot in the bottom half. The Cougars would respond with a seven-spot in the seventh to put the game away, capped off by a Landon Reikhof 2-RBI single in his first collegiate at-bat. Obergfell, Garczynski, Steele, Borom, and Platt each earned RBI's in the top of the seventh.

Connor Hurt retired the side in order in the bottom of the seventh, closing out a 14-2 IU Kokomo win over Point.

The Cougars totaled 13 hits in the opening day outburst, led by Nolan Bowser who tallied four hits and three RBI. Riley Garczynski had a homer and a single with two RBI, while Tucker Platt went 2-3 with an RBI and a BB. Dylan Steele had three RBI, a hit, and a BB.

The Cougars will be back-in-action tomorrow with a doubleheader at LakePoint Sports Complex. The Cougars will play Cumberland University (Tenn.) at noon before taking on St. Andrews in game two to close out the opening weekend.

For the latest news, updates, and information on the IU Kokomo Cougars, fans can visit IUKCougars.com. Fans can also stay up to date on the latest Cougar news by following @IUKAthletics on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.