March 10, 2007
Final Stats
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Kennesaw State used a two-run second inning and a three-run sixth to defeat Mississippi Valley State and snap their four-game losing streak, 6-3, at the 2007 Russell Athletic Panther Spring Classic hosted by Birmingham Southern on Saturday afternoon.
The Owls (19-10) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the second when April Keasler was hit by a pitch and Klair Wells followed with a run scoring triple. Hollie Huffman drove in the second run with an infield single to give Owls starter Missy Hobdy an early cushion.
Mississippi Valley State (10-11) clawed for a run off Hobdy in the bottom of the fifth inning when Nakelya Morgane doubled to left center field and scored when Christie Middleton followed with a single through the left side to make the score 2-1.
Kennesaw State, however, rallied with three, two-out, runs in the top of the sixth inning. With Huffman, who had walked, on first base with two outs, the Owls got back-to-back singles from Sarah Hesterman and Kelley Cowart to make the score 3-1. Kelsey Kulk then tripled to right field to make the score 5-1.
The Delta Devils chipped away at the Owls lead with a solo run in the bottom of the sixth inning before Kennesaw State answered back in the top of the seventh. Jennifer Nolan and Keasler started the inning with back-to-back hits and after Wells hit into a fielder's choice moving Nolan to third, Huffman drove in the Owls final run on a groundout to shortstop.
Hobdy (7-2) pitched six effective innings to earn the win before Brittany Matthews pitched the final frame to earn her first save of the season. Both left-handers were dominating during the game, with Hobdy striking out nine batters in six innings while Matthews struck out the side in the seventh. Matthews did surrender two hits in her inning of work including a solo home run while Hobdy scattered just four hits over six innings.
