By: by Mark Toma
Box Scores:
Game One I
Game Two
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Brittany Moore and Ashlee Burkett each hit three-run home runs as Kennesaw State routed USC SUpstate, 10-2, to earn a split of a doubleheader at Cyrill Stadium on Friday afternoon. The Owls dropped the first game, 2-1.
Kennesaw State (21-19, 7-5 A-Sun) trailed, 1-0, after one inning in the nightcap before scoring four runs in both the fourth and fifth innings as they snapped their brief two-game losing streak.
USC Upstate (30-11, 7-7 A-Sun) got three consecutive singles in the first inning off Owls starter Abbey Meixel as the freshman hurler struggled over the first two frames. The right-hander allowed three more hits in the second inning, but recovered to get Crislyn Chewning, who had four hits on the day, to pop up with the bases loaded.
Meixel (8-8) would then retire the side in order in the third, fourth and fifth innings before allowing a solo home run to Ericka Harris to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning. On the day, Meixel would allow just two earned runs on nine hits with five strikeouts.
The Kennesaw State offense did damage to three USC Upstate pitchers beginning with starter Amber Hamilton. The Spartans starter was strong until the fourth inning when she walked Burkett and Sharon Swanson to begin the frame. Jenna Closner followed with a base hit to load the bases. A sacrifice fly by Jessica Cross made the score 1-0, and after the second out of the inning, Moore (2-for-4) delivered her first home run of the year, a rocket down the left field line for a 4-1 lead.
The Owls would waste no time adding another four runs as they lit up the scoreboard again in the fifth inning. Burkett (2-for-3) launched a three-run home run, a blast to left-center field, after singles by Jensen Hackett and Klair Wells (2-for-4) greeted reliever Blake Meredith. Burkett is tied with Closner for second on the Owls in home runs with seven.
Meredith would remained rattled as she walked Swanson and Closner before Moore came up big again with a run-scoring single through the left side of the infield, making the score 8-1. The Black and Gold would add two more runs in the top of the sixth inning on an RBI single by Swanson and a bases loaded walk to Kelsey Kulk, all off reliever Alex Yohe, who allowed two runs on three hits in an inning of work.
In the opener, Cross and Morgan Childers went pitch-for-pitch in a, 2-1, pitchers duel won by the Spartans. Childers (26-5) struck out 12 batters while allowing just three hits in the complete-game win, while Cross allowed just two runs in six innings of seven-hit ball.
Chewning did all of the offensive damage for the Spartans as she went 3-for-3 with both runs batted in. The one-two batters in the Spartans lineup went 5-for-6 with both RBI’s and both runs scored. The rest of the USC Upstate lineup went a combined 2-for-19 with six strikeouts.
The Spartans got on the board in the bottom of the third inning after Cross (11-7) struck out Janna Lewis and Keri Sarratt to begin the inning. After Kim Brasil singled through he left side, she stole second base and scored on a double down the right field line by Chewning.
It was the Brasil-Lewis combination that provided the insurance run in the bottom of the fifth inning when Brasil doubled to right-center field with one out and Chewning followed with a line drive single to center field, giving the Spartans a 2-0 lead.
Meanwhile, Childers had a no-hitter going through five innings with eight strikeouts. Two walks and an error was all the offense Kennesaw State could muster until Wells led off the sixth inning with a home run to straightaway center field to cut the Upstate lead to a run.
Burkett followed with a single up the middle and reached third after Swanson reached on an error by the Spartans third baseman Sarrett. However, Childers was able to strikeout Closner for the second out and Kulk flied out to center field to end the threat.
The Owls would rally once more in the seventh inning when Hannah Graham singled with one out, but Jensen Hackett struck out and Lyndsay McCurry, who pinch-ran for graham, was thrown out stealing to end the game.
Kennesaw State will be back in action on Saturday afternoon when they travel to Johnson City, Tenn. for a doubleheader with the ETSU Buccaneers. First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
