Feb. 19, 2008
Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Kennesaw State softball team split a doubleheader against UAB on Tuesday afternoon at George Ward Park. Jessica Cross hit her third homerun of the season to propel the Owls to a 5-2 victory in game one, but the Owls' offense struggled in the nightcap as the Blazers won by the same score.
The Owls (8-2) started the doubleheader on the right foot, putting two runs on the board in the first inning. Lyndsay McCurry led off with a strikeout, but after Jamie KeKaualua reached on an error, Cross hit a bomb to left field to notch her team-leading sixth and seventh RBI of the season.
Brittany Matthews (5-1) was dominant through the first four innings, striking out eight Blazer batters while not allowing a ball out of the infield.
UAB (8-5) responded in the fifth to cut the lead to 2-1. Andrea Rogers started the frame with a single to center. After advancing to second on a Matthews' wild pitch, the Blazers' catcher scored on a Cameron Skates single to pull within one.
The teams battled through a scoreless sixth before Kennesaw State posted three more runs in the top of the seventh. Jenna Closner led off the inning by reaching on an error and was pinch run for by Catherine Rodriguez. Outfielder Sarah Hesterman followed with a single to put runners on first and second.
A Jennifer Nelson wild pitch advanced the pair to second and third before KeKaualua drove in Rodriguez on a ball back up the middle. Jacki Warren strolled to the plate and put the Owls ahead 5-1 after her single plated both base runners.
UAB added another run in their final at-bats when Skates drove in Rogers, but Matthews got Nelson to fly out to center to end the rally and give the Owls their first-ever win over the Blazers.
The Owls pitcher allowed two earned runs while going the distance and striking out 13.
Like KSU has done in game one, UAB scored early in the night-cap, posting two runs in the first and two more in the third.
Skates was the hero for UAB in game two, going 3-for-4 with four RBI. After KSU went down in order to start the game, the Blazers' third baseman hit a two-run double in the bottom of the first inning and followed by smacking a two-run homer down the left field line in the third.
UAB struck again in the fourth when Leigh Walker led off with a single. After Holly Krzan flied out to center, Walker stole second and scored on a Rogers single to right center to put the Blazers ahead, 5-0.
Owls' pitcher Angela Lopez (2-1) was tagged for ten hits and five earned runs before being run from the game after three and a thirds-innings pitched.
After the bats struggled for the first five innings against Blazers' starter Kayla Harris (4-1), the Black and Gold got on the board in the sixth, putting up two runs to cut the UAB lead to three.
McCurry led off the frame by lining out to the shortstop, but KeKaualua reached base after hitting her first double of the season. Jessica Cross and Jacki Warren each drew a walk to load the bases before Amanda Malcom's single drove home KeKaualua. Designated player Corri Connally was then hit by a pitch, bringing home Cross to make the score 5-2. But two straight groundouts would thwart the comeback and squash any chance of a sweep for the day.
The Owls will be back in action on Friday when they begin play in the College of Charleston Cougar Invitational against North Carolina State. KSU will take on Towson and Liberty on Saturday and wrapping up the three-day event against Tennessee Tech and the host Cougars on Sunday.
