GAME ONE BOX SCORE (XML) | BOX SCORE (PDF)
GAME TWO BOX SCORE (XML) | BOX SCORE (PDF)
GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Kennesaw State softball team (16-3) swept both games against Furman (8-8) on Wednesday, March 6 at Pepsi Stadium. The Owls won the first game 4-3 before junior
Bianca Durant (Douglasville, Ga./Chapel Hill HS) smacked her first home run of the season in the seventh inning for a 1-0 victory in game two.
“We are never going to complain about two wins on the road,” said Head Coach
Scott Whitlock. “Henderson and Mixon did what they have been doing all year; they pitched well enough to give us a chance to win. Sharon Swanson and Bianca Durant both stepped up in big moments in both games and got us out of there. We played pretty solid defense and pitched well.”
The Owls opened the scoring in the first game during the third inning as freshman
Missy Perkowski (Woodstock, Ga./Sequoyah HS) and senior
Sharon Swanson (Canton, Ga./Cherokee HS) notched back-to-back hits to put runners on first and second. Freshman
Alexis Collis then delivered a two-run double to right center for a 2-0 KSU lead.
An inning later Furman would tie up the game on three-straight hits and an Owl error.
The 2-2 tie would not last long, however, as Swanson knocked a two-run home run to right center in the top of the fifth inning after a single from Perkowski. It was the senior’s fourth long ball this season.
Furman’s Taylor Jenkins started off the bottom of the seventh frame with a one-run homer to left center, but junior pitcher
Amanda Henderson (Covington, Ga./Eastside HS) and the Owl defense rebounded to secure three-straight outs to earn the win.
Henderson improved to 9-0 on the season after only allowing two earned runs on five hits and fanning seven Paladin batters in seven innings.
KSU posted 10 hits and committed an error, with Swanson going 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI. Perkowski also went 3-for-4 and two runs, while Collis added a pair of RBI.
Meaghan Houston (3-4) took the loss for Furman, who got a 2-for-3 effort, plus a run and two RBI, from Jenkins.
In the day’s second game, neither team could muster a run until Durant ended the scoreless tie in the top of the seventh inning with a home run to left center with two outs in the inning.
Senior pitcher
Abbey Mixon (Canton, Ga./Cherokee HS) allowed only five hits in a complete game outing and moved to 6-2 on the season. She only gave up two walks, while striking out four in the win.
The Owls notched three hits and committed two errors in the contest.
Lauren Collier fell to 4-3 on the season for the Paladins, with Ambree Muller contributing two hits in the lost.
Kennesaw State will have a week off before opening Atlantic Sun Conference play with a doubleheader against Mercer on Wednesday, March 13 at Bailey Park. First pitch is slated for 4 p.m. (ET).
Keep up with Owls softball this year by following KSU on Twitter at @
KSUOwlsSoftball and @
KSUOwlNation or by liking Kennesaw State Owls on
Facebook.
Kennesaw State is celebrating 30 years of intercollegiate athletics during the 2012-13 academic year.
