UTM BOX SCORE (XML) | UTM BOX SCORE (PDF) |
TTU BOX SCORE (XML) | TTU BOX SCORE (PDF) | VIDEO
WOODSTOCK, Ga. – The Kennesaw State softball team split its games on the final day of the KSU Classic. The Owls dropped a tough 5-4 decision against UT Martin, only their first loss of the season, before rebounding for a 3-0 win over Tennessee Tech.
"We had a pretty good weekend," said Head Coach
Scott Whitlock. "We have some work to do offensively, but we got outstanding pitching again this weekend. We played great defense, maybe with the exception of one inning all weekend. Overal, to be 8-1 I am very proud of them."
KSU moves to 8-1 on the season, while UTM improved to 4-3 and TTU fell to 4-4 in 2013.
Kennesaw State opened the scoring against the Skyhawks, tallying a pair of runs in the second inning. After singles from junior
Bianca Durant and freshman
Missy Perkowski and a walk from freshman
Alexis Collis, UTM pitcher Kenzi Tate posted her second base-on-balls in the inning to give the Owls a 1-0 lead. KSU added the second run a batter later on a ground out from freshman
Kara Chambers.
The KSU lead would only last an inning as UT Martin notched four unearned runs in the third. The Skyhawks took advantage of two Owl errors and a hit-by-pitch, to go along with two UTM hits.
The Owls rallied an inning later on freshman
Alexis Collis’s home run to left field, the first of her KSU career, and a fielder’s choice from Chambers to score Perkowski.
UT Martin scored the game-winning run on a Leah Taylor home run to center field in the fifth frame.
Kennesaw State outhit the Skyhawks 10 to five, with KSU registered two errors to UTM’s one. Perkowski led the Owls offensively with a 3-for-3 performance at the plate, while Durant recorded two hits and Chambers posted two RBI.
Freshman pitcher
Morgan Sikes (0-1) took her first loss of the season in 3.1 innings of relief work.
Tate improved to 4-0 with the win. Stephanie Nidiffer went 2-for-3 for the Skyhawks, while Taylor added two RBI.
Sophomore second baseman
Kaylee Williams and junior pitcher
Amanda Henderson were the story in the second game, a 3-0 win over Tennessee Tech.
The Owls went up by two in the second inning on Williams’ first home run of season, a two-run blast to left field. KSU added a third run in the fourth on a sacrifice fly from the sophomore second baseman after junior catcher
Angie Dascoli and freshman first baseman
Caitlin Fowler singled earlier in the inning.
Henderson controlled much of the game from the circle, totaling nine strikeouts in a complete game performance, including three in the final two innings, while only allowing five hits. The junior improved to 6-0 this season.
Both teams notched five hits in the game, while TTU suffered three errors.
Taylor Ketchum fell to 3-1 with the loss. Madison Taylor posted a pair of hits for the Golden Eagles.
Kennesaw State returns to Bailey Park on Wednesday, Feb. 20, for a showdown with Samford at 6 p.m. (ET).
Keep up with Owls softball this year by following KSU on Twitter at @
KSUOwlNation or by liking Kennesaw State Owls on
Facebook. For in-game updates and statistics for every softball game follow @
KSUGameDay.
Kennesaw State is celebrating 30 years of intercollegiate athletics during the 2012-13 academic year.
