GAME ONE BOX SCORE (XML) | BOX SCORE (PDF) | GAME TWO BOX SCORE (XML) | BOX SCORE (PDF) | VIDEO | LEXI’S DAY PHOTO GALLERY
KENNESAW, Ga. – It was a joyous occasion at Bailey Park on Saturday, April 20, as the Kennesaw State softball team celebrated Lexi’s Day and Senior Day 2013 in style with a pair of crucial Atlantic Sun Conference wins over Jacksonville. The Owls jumped all over the Dolphins with a 10-4 win in game one, followed by a dominating performance from senior pitcher
Abbey Mixon (Canton, Ga./Cherokee HS) in a 1-0 shutout in game two.
KSU improves to 29-17 overall and 13-10 in the A-Sun, while JU drops to 30-17 and 11-10 in conference action.
Jacksonville took a quick 1-0 lead in game one as Karson Tuck laced an RBI double down the left field line.
The Owls responded with three runs in the third inning when sophomore
Natalie Rhodes (Canton, Ga./Cherokee HS) started off the rally with a two-run triple down the right field line, followed by a single up the middle from senior
Sharon Swanson (Canton, Ga./Cherokee HS) to plate Rhodes from third.
KSU added to its lead in the fourth as junior
Carly Van Auken (Largo, Fla./State College of Florida Manatee-Sarasota) reached on a fielding error from JU centerfielder Sable Lee, scoring freshman pinch runner
Rachel Dennis (Marietta, Ga./Pope HS).
The Dolphins came within a run in the top of the next inning as Sarah Simon knocked a two-run home run to center field, cutting the KSU lead to 4-3.
That would as close as JU would get when Kennesaw State exploded offensively in the bottom of the fifth frame, taking advantage of three hits and two Dolphin errors to post five runs on the board. The inning was highlighted by back-to-back two-out hits from senior
Jensen Hacket (Tunnel Hill, Ga./Ringgold HS) and Van Auken.
The Owls pushed the lead to 10-3 in the sixth as junior
Bianca Durant (Douglasville, Ga./Chapel Hill HS) reached on a fielding error by first baseman Morgan Kibler, bringing Rhodes home from second after she opened the frame with a single to the pitcher.
Jacksonville plated a run in the top of the seventh, but junior
Amanda Henderson (Covington, Ga./Eastside HS) registered a pair of swinging strikeouts and shut down the Dolphins to secure the win for the Owls. Henderson (16-4) notched 10 strikeouts, while only giving up four earned runs en route to a complete game victory.
KSU outhits the Dolphins nine to eight, while JU committed four errors in the contest. Rhodes led the Owls with a 3-for-4 performance plus three runs and two RBI. Van Auken also turned in a pair of hits for Kennesaw State.
Victoria Brown (9-7) took the game one loss for Jacksonville, who got two hits each from Brown and Jackie Dipiazza.
If game one was all about offensive, game two was all about pitching and defense, as the Owls only needed one run and an impressive performance from Mixon to take a 1-0 win in game two.
After senior
Jamie Saunders (Fayetteville, Ga./Georgia Perimeter College) reached on a throwing error by JU third baseman Ashley Simon in the second inning and advanced to second on a Van Auken single up the middle, Rhodes again delivered at the plate for the Owls. The sophomore doubled to right center, plating Saunders for the game-winning run.
Mixon took over from there as she did not allow a run, while only giving up four hits and striking out five Dolphins in a complete game effort. She improved to 11-9 on the season for the Owls.
Rhodes recorded a pair of hits and an RBI for Kennesaw State, with Van Auken and Swanson each contributing a hit in the game.
JU pitcher Cecile Gomez (8-1) dropped her first decision of the season, giving up four hits in the loss.
Kennesaw State will look to earn the season series sweep over Jacksonville in the final game of the three-game series on Sunday, April 21. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. (ET) at Bailey Park.
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.
