March 27, 2007
Box Score
KENNESAW, Ga. - Andrea Rogers hit a pair of home runs, including one in the top of the eighth inning to propel UAB past Kennesaw State, 4-3, in the first game of a doubleheader on Tuesday afternoon at Bailey Park.
Kennesaw State (28-13) rallied to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh inning when Amanda Malcom started the comeback by getting aboard with a walk. After Klair Wells struck out looking, Kelley Cowart reached on an error by the first baseman, putting runners on first and third. Keri McKee stepped up bigtime for the Owls, as she smacked a double to center, scoring Malcom to tie the game at 3-3.
But the heroics were short lived as Rogers strolled to the plate and hit her second long-ball of the day off of Janet Kearns to put UAB (23-16) ahead for good, 4-3.
Rogers got the scoring started for UAB when she the first offering in the fourth inning deep to right center and over Owls' centerfielder April Keasler to give the Blazers a quick 1-0 lead.
It didn't take long for the Owls to respond as McKee led off the bottom half of the fourth with a double to center. Jennifer Nolan then hit a ball through the left side to put runners on the corners with no outs. Keasler strolled to the plate and laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to move to second.
After Jamie KeKaualua reached on a fielder's choice but failed to score McKee from third, Coach Scott Whitlock and the Owls employed the double steal as Nolan slid home to tie the game a 1-1.
Brittany Matthews struggled just one game after setting the KSU record for most strikeouts in a single game in her previous outing, as the southpaw allowed three earned runs and five hits, while striking out just five UAB batters.
Kearns suffered the loss for the Owls as the right-hander fell to 4-4 on the season, while Kayla Harris moved her record to 6-7 with the win for the Blazers.
