By: by Scott Lipsky
Box Score
ATLANTA- Kennesaw State trailed heading into the seventh inning on the road Wednesday afternoon, but were able to pull through in the end thanks to a two-out, two-run triple by Lyndsay McCurry, making the Owls victorious, 3-2, over the Georgia State Panthers.
The Owls (23-19, 9-9 Away) were stifled at the plate for most of the afternoon, being held to two hits over the first six innings against Panthers starter Kaitlyn Medlam. Relief pitcher Erin Collins, who came into Wednesday tied for the NCAA Division I lead with seven saves, would start the seventh inning, and the Owls took advantage of the new pitcher in the circle.
Jessica Cross started things off against Collins with a base hit to right field, and was followed to the plate by Sharon Swanson. Swanson, who hit her Atlantic Sun Conference-leading 12th home run of the season in the fourth inning, would follow suit, notching an infield single on a bouncer in the hole. Collins would dig down and retire the next two batters, but could get past the Owls last line of defense in McCurry, who was making her first appearance at the plate of the day as a pinch-hitter. The lone senior on the Owls squad laced an 0-1 offering from Collins into the gap in right center-field, easily scoring Swanson and Cat Tarvin, who had pinch-hit for Cross, and putting the Owls up for the first time in the game.
Amanda Henderson, who replaced Owls starting pitcher Abbey Meixel in the pitcher’s circle with one out in the fifth inning, walked the first Georgia State (24-17, 10-7 Home) batter in the bottom of the seventh, but retired the next three Panthers to preserve the win for the Owls and move her to 5-6 on the season.
The Black and Gold were able to stay in the game despite their dearth of offense for most of the contest thanks to solid pitching performances by Henderson and Meixel. Meixel went four and a third innings, striking out six and allowing just two hits and a walk, to go along with one earned run. Henderson struck out four and allowed one earned run on three hits.
Swanson went 3-for-3 in the game, the only player on either team to have more than two hits in the game. The performance marked her 14th multi-hit performance of the season, which leads the Owls.
With the win, the Black and Gold move to 14-8 all-time against their I-75 rivals, and are now 9-3 when they visit the Panthers. They lost both games of a doubleheader to the Panthers at Bailey Park on Mar. 18.
Head Coach Scott Whitlock and the Owls return to Bailey Park this weekend for a pair of A-Sun doubleheaders. They take on USC Upstate at 2 p.m. on Friday, and then host East Tennessee State for two on Saturday, the start time for that tilt also being at 2 p.m. Saturday will be Senior Day at Bailey Park, with McCurry being honored prior to the first game.
