GAME ONE BOX SCORE (XML) | BOX SCORE (PDF)
GAME TWO BOX SCORE (XML) | BOX SCORE (PDF)
DELAND, Fla. – The Kennesaw State softball team split the first two games of a three-game Atlantic Sun Conference series against Stetson at Patricia Wilson Field on Saturday, April 13. The Owls dropped the opening game of the series 8-0 in five innings, before rebounding for an 11-8 win in game two.
Stetson (23-17, 6-10) used a four-run first inning to gain control of game one, highlighted by a three-run home run from Morgan Hatch.
The Hatters added to its lead in the third inning behind RBI singles from Meredith Owen and Courtney Brandt, before posting the final run of the game on a wild pitch in the fourth inning.
KSU (27-15, 11-9) posted five hits to Stetson’s six, while both teams committed an error in the contest. Junior
Carly Van Auken (Largo, Fla./State College of Florida Manatee-Sarasota) led the Owls with a pair of hits in the game.
Junior
Amanda Henderson (Covington, Ga./Eastside HS) took the loss for the Owls, giving up five hits and six earned runs to move her season record to 15-4.
Owen (14-7) earned the win for the Hatters, who also contributed a hit and two RBI in the win.
The Owls bounced back in game two, taking a 3-0 lead through the second on RBI singles from junior
Bianca Durant (Douglasville, Ga./Chapel Hill HS), sophomore
Kaylee Williams (Kennesaw, Ga./Kennesaw Mountain HS) and senior
Sharon Swanson (Canton, Ga./Cherokee HS).
After the Hatters scored two runs in the bottom of the second to move within a run at 3-2, the Owls separated themselves in the third with eight unearned runs on four hits, including a three-run double to center field from Williams, two walks and three Stetson errors. KSU batted around in the inning as Williams opened the frame with a walk.
Stetson rallied to put five runs on the board in the fifth on a three-run double from Brandt, an RBI single from Kayla Drury and a hit-by-pitch from Henderson. Owen then added a home run in the sixth to pull the Hatters within three and had the bases loaded with the winning run at the plate in the bottom of the seventh before Henderson secured the final two outs of the game to earn the win for the Owls.
Despite being outhit by Stetson, 12 to nine, Kennesaw State only committed a single error in the contest, while the Hatters committed five. Williams led the Owls in the win with a 2-for-4 performance, plus a season high four RBI and two runs. Swanson also posted two hits, two RBI and two runs, with junior
Sara Sikes (Douglasville, Ga./Georgia) plating three runs.
Senior
Abbey Mixon (Canton, Ga./Cherokee HS) picked up the win for KSU in 4.2 innings of work and improves to 10-8 on the season, with Henderson entering in the fifth inning and allowing only one earned run on two hits to record for her fourth save of the season.
Brandt took the loss for the Hatters, while also registered three RBI, two hits and two runs in the game.
Kennesaw State will go for the series win against the Hatters on Sunday, April 14 with a single game at 1 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.
