March 12, 2008
Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
KENNESAW, Ga. - The Kennesaw State softball team split a pair of games against in-state rival, Georgia Tech, on Wednesday afternoon at Bailey Park. After falling in game one, 8-0, the Owls rebounded to take the night-cap, 6-3.
Corri Connally led the Owls on the day, going 3-for-5 with two RBI in the double-dip. Her walk in the first inning of game two plated the first run of the nightcap and she followed with single to right field in the fourth to secure the split for the Owls. Jordan Hackett, Amanda Malcom and Laura Stallings each drove in a run to help the Owls win their 10th game in their last 12 contests.
The Owls (20-6) struggled offensively in game one, only recording three hits against Tech's Whitney Humphreys (4-8). The Jackets (9-16) jumped out to an early 3-0 lead through the first inning and never looked back.
Aileen Morales led off the game with a walk and after a pop-up for the first out, quickly stole second to move into scoring position. Brittany Shimandle grounded out to the pitcher for the second out but Morales would score moments later on a passed ball. The inning stayed alive when Savannah Brown singled, only to be followed by Whitney Haller's deep shot to left center to stretch the lead to 3-0.
KSU's best chance to score came in the bottom of the first as the Owls loaded the bases with one out. But the rally fell short with back-to-back strikeouts by Laura Stallings and Jenna Closner.
Things fell apart for the Black and Gold in the fifth when Morales singled and once again stole second with two outs. Christy Jones reached on a controversial bunt that would have gotten Kennesaw State out of the inning, but the inning went on to see Tech add five more after Brittany Matthews (13-2) gave up back-to-back homers to Brown and Haller to put the game away.
Game two was a different story for the Owls as they were the ones to strike first, posting two runs in the bottom half of the first. Hackett, Malcom and Jessica Cross each had singles to load the bases to start the frame. Connally plated the first run by drawing a walk and Stallings followed with a single to right to make the score 2-0.
Tech answered back in the third when Shimandle hit a two-run shot off Angela Lopez (4-3) to tie the game at two apiece. It was the wake up call that Lopez needed as she would give up just two hits over the final four-and-a-third innings to pick up her fourth win of the season.
KSU broke the tie in the fourth as Sarah Hesterman started the inning with a lead-off walk. After advancing to second on a Hollie Huffman sacrifice bunt, the Owls right fielder plated the third run of the contest when she scored from second on a Lyndsay McCurry single and subsequent error by Tech's centerfielder, Stephanie Butler.
Malcom drove in her only run of the afternoon later in the frame with a rocket through the left side and the Owls added the final run of the inning on a single by Connally.
The Owls added another run in the sixth with Hackett's single to right to close the book on the twinbill.
Lopez picked up her third complete game of the year after going all seven innings, giving up three runs and five hits while striking out five Jackets' batters. Humphreys was tagged with the loss after allowing four runs and seven hits in five innings of work.
Kennesaw State will be back in action this weekend by playing host to the Owls Classic. The Black and Gold will take on Coastal Carolina and Manhattan on Saturday, before wrapping the two-day tournament up by playing Kent State and Birmingham Southern on Sunday at Bailey Park.
