By: by Scott Lipsky
Boston University- Box Score
Niagara- Box Score
Live Stats
WOODSTOCK, Ga. – The bats were out in full force on Friday evening, as the Kennesaw State Owls defeated the Boston University Terriers, 5-4, and the Niagara Purple Eagles, 12-1, in the first day of the Buzz Classic at Twin Creeks Softball Complex.
The Owls (12-5) were able to scrape out a come-from-behind, walk-off win over the Terriers (3-3), who scored three runs in the top of the third inning to take a, 3-2, lead from that point all the way until the bottom of the seventh inning.
Trailing, 4-3, in their last turn at bat, Owls junior Jessica Cross led things off by hitting her third home run of the season off of Terriers pitcher Whitney Tuthill, a line drive that rocketed over the left field fence to make it a tied game. Sharon Swanson, the reigning Atlantic Sun Conference Player of the Week, would follow Cross to the plate and single through the right side of the infield, putting the winning run on base.
Brittany Moore and would walk two batters later, and after an infield single by Lindsay Vollmer, the bases were loaded with one out. They would remain that way after a ground ball to the pitcher forced Swanson out at home, bringing Jensen Hackett to the plate. Hackett would swing at the first pitch she saw against Tuthill and hit a slow ground ball to second base, and was able to beat out the throw to first, allowing Moore to score and giving them the win in their first game of the day.
While their game against Boston University was a matter of base running and infield hits, their second win of the day, this time against Niagara (1-2) was not in doubt for very long. Freshman Amanda Henderson took care of business in the pitcher’s circle, tossing a complete game and allowing just one run on four hits, striking out seven and walking just one.
With Henderson keeping the Purple Eagles at bay at the plate, the Owls pulled away with a six run inning. Cross, who went 3-for-6 during the two games, hit a single to left center field to drive in Hackett, who had reached on an error to lead off the inning, for the first run of the game. Sara Sikes, who had walked earlier in the inning, would score on a wild pitch, making it 2-0, Owls. After Brittany Moore hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Cross, Vollmer and Heather Crow would break things open with back-to-back doubles to make it 6-0. The squad would add three runs each in the fourth and fifth innings to put the game out of reach.
Swanson went 0-for-2 in the game against Niagara after going 3-for-4 against the Terriers, but walked twice and scored three runs to help in the rout. More notable was Vollmer, who had her best offensive game with the Owls to date, going 3-for-4 with six RBI against the Purple Eagles, going 4-for-7 on the evening overall. Hackett went 2-for-4 with an RBI against Boston University.
Abbey Meixel started the game in the pitcher’s circle against the Terriers, tossing three and two-thirds innings and allowing four runs on six hits before giving way to Cross, who threw three and a third innings of one-hit, shutout ball to earn the win and move to 6-2 on the season.
The Owls are back in action at the Buzz Classic Saturday afternoon when they face the UMass Minutewomen at 1 p.m. at Twin Creek Softball Complex.
