MISSOURI STATE BOX SCORE (PDF) | COASTAL CAROLINA BOXSCORE (PDF)
KENNESAW, Ga. – The Kennesaw State softball team opened the 2013 season on a positive note, earning wins in both its games on day one of the Georgia Tech-Kennesaw State Invitational on Friday at Bailey Park.
The Owls (2-0) used a combination of offensive power and strong pitching in the two victories, opening with a 12-8 win over Missouri State (0-2), before posting a 1-0 eight-inning win against Coastal Carolina (1-1).
“It is a lot of fun when you win,” Head Coach
Scott Whitlock said. “It was two very different kinds of games today. The first game was kind of a wild one with the wind. We jumped out early and kind of hung on. In the second game, I think we withstood a wonderful test. Coastal Carolina played in an NCAA regional last year, they won their conference and got a bid. We stood nose-to-nose with them tonight for eight innings and the ball fell our way. I cannot say enough about Amanda Henderson, Angie Dascoli and the way the team fought and got through it in game two. It was a great team win.”
Kennesaw State came out of the gates fast against the Bears, scoring in each of the first three innings, highlighted by junior catcher
Angie Dascoli (West Melbourne, Fla. / State College of Florida) belting a first-inning grand slam in her first career at-bat for the Owls.
KSU followed that up with a six-run second inning, as senior right fielder
Jensen Hackett (Tunnel Hill, Ga./Ringgold HS), sophomore left fielder
Natalie Rhodes and junior shortstop
Carly Van Auken (Largo, Fla./State College of Florida Manatee-Sarasota) loaded the bases with bunt singles, before senior designated hitter
Sharon Swanson (Canton, Ga./Cherokee HS) and freshman first baseman
Caitlin Fowler (Flowery Branch, Ga./Flowery Branch HS) notched back-to-back doubles to push the KSU lead to 10-1.
Missouri State tried to rally with a four-run third frame and a three-run fifth, but Kennesaw State added an insurance run in the seventh to secure the win.
The Owls outhit the Bears 12 to nine, but recorded two errors to MSU’s one. Swanson led Kennesaw State with a 3-for-4 performance plus two RBI and two runs scored. Dascoli registered five RBI in her first career game as an Owl.
Stevie Pierce tallied two RBI and Ciara Flau added a pair of hits for the Bears. Jessie Van Es (0-1) took the loss for MSU.
Senior
Abbey Mixon (Canton, Ga./Cherokee HS) earned the win after pitching four strong innings and allowing four earned runs and six hits, while striking out five Bears. Junior
Amanda Henderson (Covington, Ga./Eastside HS) worked three frames of relief, striking out four.
While the opening game of the 2013 season was all about offense for the Owls, the second game between Kennesaw State and Coastal Carolina proved to be a pitcher’s duel with the two pitchers combining for 20 strikeouts.
With the game deadlocked at 0-0 after seven innings, both teams agreed on using the international tiebreaker rule, with a runner placed on second base. Kennesaw State used the rule to its advantage as junior centerfielder Sarah Sikes was placed on second and then advanced to third on a wild pitch. Van Auken finished off CCU with a sacrifice fly that plated Sikes and lifted the Owls to the win.
Henderson (1-0) worked eight scoreless innings, registering 10 strikeouts and allowing five hits. Kiana Quolas (0-1) also posted 10 strikeouts for Coastal Carolina.
CCU recorded five hits to KSU’s four, but notched two errors to the Owls’ one.
Kennesaw State continues the Georgia Tech-Kennesaw State Invitational Saturday (Feb. 9) with games against Eastern Michigan at noon and Butler at 2 p.m. Both contests will be played at Bailey Park.
Keep up with Owls softball this year by following KSU on Twitter at @
KSUOwlNation and @
KSUOwlsSoftball, or by liking Kennesaw State Owls on
Facebook.
Kennesaw State is celebrating 30 years of intercollegiate athletics during the 2012-13 academic year.
