By: by Scott Lipsky
Box Score
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Kennesaw State softball hammered out 10 hits on Wednesday evening, including three by freshman Ashlee Burkett, but the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles were able to pull out a 6-5 decision thanks to a three run, walk-off, home run with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning.
The Owls (17-16, 3-3 A-Sun) took a 5-3 lead into the bottom of the seventh after senior Jenna Closner hit her sixth home run of the season in the top half of the inning, a solo shot that gave Kennesaw State a much-needed insurance run.
Things would go south quickly, however, as the Golden Eagles (15-21, 4-6 Ohio Valley) started their late-rally with a leadoff infield single by third baseman Melody Christian off of Owl reliever Amanda Burns. After narrowly escaping a double play one batter later, Burns walked Kaleigh Gates after a tough, seven pitch at-bat, to put Callie Schmidt at the plate representing the winning run. She got ahead in the count, 3-1, before hitting a fly ball to right center field that just cleared the wall and gave Tennessee Tech an improbable victory.
Redshirt sophomore Jessica Cross started out in the pitcher’s circle on Wednesday evening and went four innings, allowing just two unearned runs on two hits to go along with a pair of strikeouts before giving way to Burns to start the fifth inning. The runs scored off of her came in the bottom of the first, when they were yielded via a walk, two errors, and a sacrifice fly to give the Golden Eagles a 2-1 lead.
Seven out of nine Owls in the starting lineup had at least one hit on Wednesday evening, with Klair Wells’ 2-for-3, 2 RBI performance standing out, to go along with Burkett’s 3-for-4 evening. For Burkett, it was her fourth consecutive game that she hit safely, and her 18th in the Owls last 21 contests.
Wells’ two RBIs came in the top of the second frame, when she doubled home Jensen Hackett and Hannah Graham, who singled and walked, respectively, to make the score 3-2.
Burns took the loss for the Owls to drop her record to 2-4 on the season. The loss was the third straight for Kennesaw State and their fourth straight against a non-conference opponent.
The Owls have a busy weekend ahead, as they host Atlantic Sun Conference rivals Belmont and Lipscomb in doubleheaders on Friday and Saturday, respectively. Their pair against Belmont begins at 3 p.m. on Friday, while first pitch on Saturday is slated for 2 p.m.
Saturday is Lexi’s Day at Bailey Park, when all proceeds from tickets and concessions will go to the Alexis Kaiser Foundation, a foundation that provides assistance for children with Cerebral Palsy and other special needs. The $10 entrance fee includes lunch, courtesy of the Marietta Fish Market, and a ticket to the game.
