By: by Scott Lipsky
Box Score
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – The bats were out in full force for Kennesaw State on Tuesday night, as they hit five home runs, but at the end their offense wasn’t enough, as they fell to Jacksonville State, 7-6, on Tuesday night at University Field.
The Owls (13-11), who have now dropped six out of their last seven games, entered the seventh inning down 7-4, but crept back into the contest thanks to a pair of solo home runs by freshmen Sharon Swanson and Ashley Burkett to make it 7-6. Burkett’s shot down the left field line was her second home run of the night, and her 3-for-4 evening ended her drought of two consecutive hitless games after hitting in ten straight.
Swanson’s home run was her third of the season, and came with two outs, keeping the Owls alive for senior catcher Jenna Closner. Alas, Closner would strike out looking to end the game, as the Owls would fall short.
Kennesaw State grabbed a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning on the strength Closner’s fifth home run of the season and netted Scott Whitlock’s club their only lead of the evening.
Jacksonville State (10-11) took the lead for the first time in the bottom of the third, when, still down 1-0, they hit Owls starter Abbey Meixel for four runs on four hits. Meixel, who took the loss to fall to 4-6 in her rookie campaign, would last a total of four and a third innings on Tuesday night, allowing six runs on six hits and striking out three.
Down 4-1, the Owls fought back, tying the game at 4-4 in the fifth inning by using the long ball once again. Junior Klair Wells hit a one-out round-tripper to center field, her second of the season, and following Burkett’s first home run of the night, Swanson would walk and Closner would drive her in with a double to left center to tie the game up.
It would be the last time the Owls didn’t trail, however, as Jacksonville State came back in the bottom of the fifth with two runs of their own to take the lead for good.
“I thought offensively, we played a very good game, we just never got started pitching-wise,” said Whitlock, whose club plays at Georgia State on Wednesday night. “Our effort was good tonight, we can’t complain about that. We were always just one or two at-bats away from having a good chance to win tonight, and we just didn’t get it done.”
The Owls, who are now 0-4 this season in true road games, take on Georgia State on Wednesday at 4 p.m. at the Panthers’ facility in Panthersville before returning home to face Atlantic Sun Conference rival Campbell on Friday afternoon.
