By: by Scott Lipsky
Hillenbrand Invitational- Feb. 18-20- Tucson, Ariz.
Box Scores:
Friday, 2/18:
Pacific 5, Owls 1
Drake 7, Owls 5
Saturday, 2/19:
Arizona 8, Owls 0
Owls 9, Texas A&M-CC 1
Sunday, 2/20: Owls 6, Drake 3
TUCSON, Ariz. – The Kennesaw State Owls wrapped up their five-game weekend at the Hillenbrand Invitational in style on Sunday morning, taking down the Drake Bulldogs, 6-3, to go 2-3 in the event hosted by the University of Arizona.
The Owls (6-3), avenged a, 7-5, loss to the Bulldogs on Friday, using a combination of solid relief pitching and timely offense.
Behind 3-0 after Drake’s first two turns at-bat, the Black and Gold found the magic at the plate that allowed them to score nine runs in their win against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Saturday evening. Sophomore Ashlee Burkett led off the bottom of the second with her first home run of the season, a blast to centerfield on a 1-1 pitch off of Drake (6-4) pitcher Brynne Dordel.
Down 3-1 in the third inning, The Owls took the lead for good, loading up the bases with nobody out before Sara Sikes, who was hit by a pitch to leadoff the inning, scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-2. The Bulldogs would retire the next two batters, Dordel striking out Sharon Swanson before being replaced by Jenna DeLong, who got Burkett to ground out to third for the second out. Up came Lindsay Vollmer, who hit a 1-0 pitch up the middle to score Jensen Hackett. Brittany Moore followed Vollmer at the place with an RBI single of her own, this one to left field, scoring Jessica Cross for what turn out to be the game-winning run.
They wouldn’t know it at the time, but Moore’s RBI would provide the Owls all of the offense they would need in the early morning game. After replacing Cat Tarvin in the pitcher’s circle with one out in the second inning, freshman Amanda Henderson would go the rest of the way, allowing just three hits and a pair of walks in five and two-thirds innings of work, not allowing a Bulldog to get past second base to earn the first win of her collegiate career.
Head coach Scott Whitlock’s squad would add a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, Swanson driving in her 19th run of the season and ninth run of the weekend with an RBI single and Vollmer walking with the bases loaded for their sixth and final run of the game.
Burkett and Lyndsay McCurry each went 2-for-3 for the Owls on Sunday, while Vollmer was the lone Owl with multiple RBIs on Sunday, driving in two.
The Black and Gold next take the field on Wednesday at 4 p.m., when they play their 2011 Bailey Park home-opener against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.
