By: by Scott Lipsky
Game 1 Game 2 Photo Gallery
MACON, Ga. – In their regular season finale, the Kennesaw State Owls had a solid afternoon of pitching, but struggled offensively, dropping both games of a doubleheader at Mercer, 2-1 and 1-0. The losses lock the Owls into the No. 6 seed in the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament.
The Owls (28-25, 10-10 A-Sun) were in both games throughout, thanks to Jessica Cross’ 11th complete game of the season and a combined effort from Amanda Henderson and Abbey Meixel in the second game.
Other than allowing two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning thanks to a quartet of singles by Mercer (28-22, 10-10 A-Sun) that would break a scoreless tie, Cross was rock solid in the pitcher’s circle, not allowing any other hits in the game while striking out four and walking just one.
After falling behind by a pair of runs, the Black and Gold immediately put themselves on the board, loading the bases by way of singles by Sara Sikes and Ashlee Burkett and a walk to Sharon Swanson. Sikes would score on a passed ball with two outs to make it 2-1.
That would be the only run the Owls would score on the evening, however, though they did threaten on several occasions. They would strand two runners on base in five out of six innings in the first game, but were only able to push that lone run across in the fifth inning.
In game two, Henderson would toss four and a third innings of one run, three hit ball, striking out five and walking one. She would allow a lead-off, solo home run to right center field to Sara Stukes in the fifth inning, representing the only run that would be scored in the game among either team. She would then walk the next batter before giving way to Meixel, who would allow just one hit over one and two thirds innings of work.
Despite the solid pitching, however, the Owls were not able to salvage a split in the twin bill. They had just three hits in the second game off of the Bears Kari Chambers. Their best chance to get on the board came in the top of the third inning, when Morgan Chapman and Lyndsay McCurry both reached base to lead off the frame, but they would come up empty.
Sikes went 3-for-4 in the first game and added a hit in the second one, while Burkett had a hit in both games. Jensen Hackett went 2-for-3 in the opener.
With the regular season completed, the Owls find themselves as the sixth seed in the upcoming Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament, which begins on May 11 in Spartanburg, S.C. The winner of the event, which six A-Sun squads qualify for, will earn an automatic bid to an NCAA Regional. This will be the second consecutive season that they have qualified for the tournament, as they became eligible in 2010.
