March 11, 2007
Box Score
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Owls used a three-run fifth inning to blow open a 1-0 game as Kennesaw State defeated Austin Peay, 5-1, at the 2007 Russell Athletic Panther Spring Classic at the BSC Softball Park.
Keri McKee (1-for-2) got things going for the Owls in the top of the first inning when she singled and scored on a Jennifer Nolan (3-for-4) double, giving the Owls a 1-0 lead. McKee, who became the Owls all-time hits leader on Saturday night, is five hits away from 300 hits in her career.
The Owls (21-10) blew the game open in the fifth after Amanda Malcom (0-for-3) reached on an error to leadoff. After a successful sacrifice by Kelley Cowart (1-for-3), Kelsey Kulk (1-for-2) singled to score Malcom and give the Owls a 2-0 lead. An error by left fielder Ashley Taylor put Kulk on third where she scored after a McKee sacrifice fly.
Nolan doubled to the gap in left center field and then scored when April Keasler (1-for-2) lined a single to left field, making the score 4-0 for KSU.
Meanwhile, starter Brittany Matthews continued her strong pitching. The Brooks, Ga. Southpaw raised her record to 10-2 with a five-hit, 10-strikeout complete game. Of the lefties 10 strike outs, she struck out Austin Peay's designated player, Daniella Hooper, in all three plate appearances.
Matthews pitched out trouble in the third inning when Austin Peay (11-9) loaded the bases on a single, an error by Malcom and a walk. Matthews recovered and got Ashley Taylor to foul out and Natatsha Anderson to fly to center field.
The lone run she surrendered came in the bottom of the sixth inning when Brittany Williams (1-for-3) and Anderson (1-for-3) doubled, making the score 4-1. Nolan would get the run back with a two-out RBI single, scoring Cowart, who had led off the inning with a hit.
The Owls will play the winner of South Alabama and Birmingham Southern in the championship game at 1:00 p.m. cst.
