By: by Scott Lipsky
Box Scores: Game 1 I Game 2
KENNESAW, Ga. – Jessica Cross and Abbey Meixel both turned in solid performances in the pitcher’s circle on Thursday evening, but the Kennesaw State Owls were unable to solve the Jacksonville Dolphins and their stellar pitching and defense, dropping both games of a doubleheader by a score of 2-0 at Bailey Park.
Kennesaw State (24-24, 9-9) trailed 2-0 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning of the second game when they had perhaps their best opportunity to put runs on the board and turn the tide of the matchup.
Having notched just one hit in the contest during the first six innings against Jacksonville (31-17, 9-7 A-Sun) pitcher Olivia Kline, freshman Sharon Swanson instilled some hope in the hearts of the Owls, knocking a single into left field. Cross followed with another single, and Kelsey Kulk did the same two batters later, hitting a screamer to third base that caromed off of Dolphin third baseman Amanda Schmidt into foul territory to load the bases. It was not to be, however, as Karlie Gillam swung at Kline’s first offering and flew out to left field to end the game.
Meixel was equally impressive in the circle, striking out the first six batters she faced and retiring the first 10 before allowing a run on a walk and a hit to give Jacksonville all the runs they would need on Thursday. They would scratch across another run in the top of the seventh off on Meixel on the strength of a pair of hits. Overall, Meixel struck out a career-high 11 batters in her complete game effort, allowing just two runs on five hits and issuing just a single walk. She unfortunately would take the loss to drop to 9-10 on the season.
Cross also did her best to keep the Owls in the first game. In addition to being the only one on the Owls to have a hit in both contests, she also tossed a complete game that featured just two runs allowed, one of them unearned, on five hits to go along with five strikeouts. She allowed her one earned one in the top of the first after giving up a leadoff single to Katarina Engler, who was able to score after a sacrifice bunt and two wild pitches. The loss dropped her to 13-10 on the season.
Kennesaw State didn’t have much success against senior pitcher Ashley Iveson, either. Their best chance to score some runs in the first game may have been in the first inning, when a Swanson walk with two outs was followed by a Cross single to put two runners on for the Owls.
Nothing would materialize there, nor would anything in the sixth inning, when, with the team trailing 2-0, freshman Ashlee Burkett hit an infield single and was put in scoring position two batters when Cross was hit with a pitch with just one out. Iveson was able to work herself out of one of the few jams she was in, however, striking out Jenna Closner and Kulk to end the threat.
With the loss, the Owls move into seventh place in the standings in the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament. As it currently stands, they would still be in the six-team A-Sun Tournament if it started after today’s games, since third place Florida Gulf Coast is not eligible for the tournament due to them currently undergoing the NCAA’s mandatory four-year Division I re-classification process.
Kennesaw State will try and end the regular season on a positive note a week from Saturday, when they host North Florida on Senior Day at Bailey Park. Departing seniors Closner, Kulk and Hollie Huffman will be honored during the doubleheader, which is slated to begin at 1 p.m.
