By: KSU Sports Information
Box Scores: Game 1 Game 2
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Kennesaw State Owls dropped both games in a doubleheader on Tuesday, falling to the UAB Blazers, 6-1 and 4-0. Jessica Cross and Carly Van Auken recorded hits in both games for the Owls.
Kennesaw State (8-5) had a total of just seven hits between the two contests to extend their slide to four games, and fell behind in the opener due to some shoddy defense. They committed two of their three errors in the opener in the third inning, leading to three runs for the Blazers (7-6), who also had three hits during the frame, and weren’t able to recover.
UAB added a pair of runs in the fifth and another in the sixth to pad their lead, while the Owls stranded six runners during the contest and pushed across their lone run of the day in the seventh inning, when a Mandi Burns sacrifice fly scored Kaylee Williams with one out.
The Black and Gold were unable to scratch across any runs in the second game, despite having base runners in five of their seven innings. Their biggest threat came in the top of the sixth, when a Jessica Cross base hit was followed by a Jamie Saunders walk to put two Owls on with just one out, but they would stay stranded, as UAB pitcher Leigh Streetman was able to work her way out of any trouble she encountered during her complete game shutout.
Amanda Henderson started the first game for the Owls, and worked her way out of early trouble after loading the bases in the first inning with two outs. After allowing a hit and a pair of walks, she would induce a pop-up to shortstop to end the early threat. She would finish the game having allowed six runs, four of them earned, over five innings of work, having struck out three.
Cross went four innings in pitcher’s circle in the second game, allowing four earned runs on nine hits while striking out three. She would be relieved by freshman Monica Vickery to start the fifth inning, with Vickery tossing two perfect frames.
Similar to the first game, the Owls got out of a jam in the first inning, in this case due in large part to heads-up defense. With runners on first and second and two outs, Kristen McGrath singled to right field, but a laser throw from Bianca Durant and solid tag from catcher Brittany Moore would gun down Catherine Crawford to prevent the run and end the inning, one of two times during the twin bill that a Blazer was thrown out at home.
After scoring a run in the second inning, the Blazers would separate themselves from the Owls with a three-run fourth. A pair of RBI singles would be coupled by an RBI double and an Owls error in right field to put the Black and Gold in a, 4-0, hole.
Cross was the lone Owl to have a multi-hit game in the contest, going 2-for-3 in the second game. Moore doubled in the first game, while Van Auken led off the second game with a double, the two extra-base hits on the evening by the Owls.
The Black and Gold return to action this weekend when they play five games at the Georgia Tech Buzz Classic at Twin Creeks Softball Complex in Woodstock beginning on Friday.
Postgame Notes
-The Owls were without their two leading offensive players on Tuesday in senior
Lindsay Vollmer and junior
Sharon Swanson. The two had academic obligations that conflicted with Tuesday’s schedule. The duo currently sport team-best batting averages of .464 and .429, respectively, while they both have a team-high five home runs.
-Tuesday’s doubleheader began about 45 minutes later than anticipated due to inclement weather. First pitch was at approximately 3:45 p.m. Central Time, or 4:45 p.m. EST.
-Freshman
Natalie Rhodes was not in the starting lineup for the first time this season during the second game on Tuesday, but was back at second base midway through after
Stephanie Phillips was injured diving for a ground ball.
-Phillips and
Jamie Saunders both made their first starts of 2012 on Tuesday.
-
Jessica Cross and her brother Colton, a freshman with the Owls baseball team, were slated to pitch at the exact same time on Tuesday evening, but the baseball team’s game at Georgia Tech was postponed due to inclement weather.
