March 6, 2008
Box Score
CLEARWATER, Fla. - Jenna Closner hit her third homerun and Brittany Matthews recorded her 10th complete game of the season as the Kennesaw State softball team opened its play at the Under Armour Invitational with a 3-0 win over Sam Houston State on Thursday afternoon at the Eddie C. Moore Softball Complex.
Matthews (11-1) once again went the distance for the Owls (15-5), throwing seven strong innings, allowing just three hits while striking out eight Sam Houston State batters. With the shut-out, the Owls' southpaw hurler stretched her scoreless innings streak to 16 while not allowing a Bearkat batter past first base.
KSU put up single runs in the first, second and sixth innings to claim its first ever victory over SHSU (10-7).
Kelsey Kulk got the Owls on the board with her first sacrifice fly of the season. Jessica Cross led off the first by being hit by a pitch and would advance to third on Amanda Malcom's single. With runners on the corners, Kulk laid into a pitch, sending it to centerfield to plate Cross for the first tally of the game.
It was Closner's turn to shine in the second inning and the Owls catcher did just that as she smacked her third long ball of the season off of Morgan Mikulin (4-3) deep to right field to put Kennesaw State ahead, 2-0.
After setting down the first seven batters she faced, Matthews gave up the Bearkats' first hit when Tanya Hooser singled to right in the third inning. Alex Survant and Milkulin would record singles in the sixth and the seventh, respectively, to close out the only offense for Sam Houston State.
Jordan Hackett recorded her third RBI of the season when her bases loaded walk scored Kulk for the final run of the contest with one out in the sixth.
Kennesaw State's second game of the day, a 5:00 p.m. showdown against Quinnipiac, was postponed due to rain and will hopefully be played on Sunday afternoon.
The Owls will continue play in the Under Armour Invitational with two games tomorrow. KSU will square off against Syracuse at noon before taking on Indiana at 2:30 p.m.
