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KENNESAW - Kennesaw Mountain baseball coach George Hansen knows that this team isn't very good at playing catchup, so he plans to make sure the Mustangs never have to.

The coach's strategy worked Thursday night as No. 5 Kennesaw Mountain scored four runs in each of the first three innings en route to a 12-6 win over visiting Etowah.

"When we can attack and when we can be in a position of power with our speed, it really sets a different sort of tone for us as a team," Hansen said. "We are in the situation when we sort of need to get that little spurt at first and not need to play catch-up ball because until we get some guys healthy and get some pitchers back, that catch-up game is a little bit tough for us."

The Mustangs began the game by putting their first four batters on base. Michael Lonati led off with a single and Ethan Herron drew a walk. Jordan Craft singled to plate Lonati before Zach Lowery belted a three-run homer for a 4-0 lead.

Etowah cut the margin in half in the top of the second. Brandon Curson led the inning off with a homer to right field. With their second hit of the inning, the Eagles added another run, as Tyler Schmidt singled to drive in Andy Marinelli, who reached base when he was hit by a pitch.

Kennesaw Mountain once again put their leadoff man on base when John Harris drew a walk in the bottom of the second. Lonati and Herron followed with singles, with Harris coming around to score on Herron's hit. With no outs in the inning, Craft cleared the bases with a line-drive home run to left field.

Before recording an out in the second inning, Etowah's starting pitcher Zach Hassan left the game after being tagged for six hits and eight runs while walking two.

In the third, the Mustangs once again brought four runners home as they built a 12-2 lead behind a pair of singles by Lonati and Michael Lauer, who entered the game on an 0-2 count when Lowery left the game after fouling a ball off his foot. The single by Lauer drove in Lonati and Herron, who reached on his second walk of the game.

Lonati, Herron, Craft and Harris each reached base three times.

Neither team scored again until the Eagles added a run in the top of the fifth, when Michael Turner, who entered the game to start the inning, singled and scored on a double by Michael Squires.

In the seventh, Etowah added three runs on three hits. Travis Salyers, who reached base after being hit to lead off the inning, came around to score on a Curson's second extra-base hit of the game. He later scored on a single by Marinelli. Curson was 4-for-4 with a home run, double, two RBIs and two runs scored.

Hansen said there was never a time in the game when he felt his team had enough of a lead.

"Childress' Etowah team is a playoff team and not a four-seed playoff team," said Hansen. "They are going to be right up there with it when it is said and done. We have as much respect for that Etowah team as we do for any team in this region.

"I at no time felt comfortable with the lead that we had out there. I think that Etowah team is extremely explosive and you are going to see them put 10, 12, 15 runs on the scoreboard this year. I just give them all the credit in the world that they came out and hit the ball well."

T.J. Eifert threw five innings and allowed three runs on four hits for the win. Robbie Payne entered the game in the sixth and allowed three runs over two innings while striking out five.

With the win, Kennesaw Mountain improved 8-4 overall and 1-1 in Region 5AAAAA.

Etowah coach David Childress said his team had its share of problems Thursday night, but they aren't going to dwell on them.

"We struggled on the mound and (Kennesaw Mountain) took advantage of it," he said. "Mistakes were made. It happens."

"We just have to step back out there and play again."

Kennesaw Mountain will travel tonight to Campbell.

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