JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Kennesaw State softball team fell in its season series finale with North Florida, 4-2, on Sunday, April 7 at the UNF Softball Complex.
 
KSU moves to 24-13 on the season and 8-7 in the Atlantic Sun Conference, while UNF improves to 29-11 and 8-4 in league play.
 
The Owls opened the scoring in the second inning as freshman Kara Chambers (Kennesaw, Ga./Allatoona HS) smacked a double to deep centerfield, driving in junior Angie Dascoli (West Melbourne, Fla./State College of Florida) from second base.
 
KSU added a run in the top of the fifth to take a 2-0 lead as junior Bianca Durant (Douglasville, Ga./Chapel Hill HS) reached on a fielding error by UNF second baseman Kelly Wilson, plating sophomore Natalie Rhodes (Canton, Ga./Cherokee HS) from third after she opened the inning with single up the middle.
 
The two-run KSU lead did not last long as the Ospreys put all four of their runs on the board in the bottom of the fifth inning. Senior Abbey Mixon (Canton, Ga./Cherokee HS) entered the game for junior starter Amanda Henderson (Covington, Ga./Eastside HS) with runners at second and third and one out in the inning. With the bases loaded, UNF’s Jackie Reese then singled up the middle, bringing home the first North Florida run. Rhodes then overthrew the ball from centerfield into the Osprey dugout on an attempt to get an out at third base, with the umpires ruling that that the second and third runs would be allowed to score, giving the Ospreys their first lead of the game at 3-2.
 
Henderson then re-entered the game for Mixon as UNF moved the score to 4-2 a battler later on a squeeze bunt from pinch hitter Lauren Pollack.
 
The Owls had an opportunity in the sixth inning as sophomore Kaylee Williams (Kennesaw, Ga./Kennesaw Mountain HS) reached on a walk and advanced to second on a single from junior Carly Van Auken (Largo, Fla./State College of Florida Manatee-Sarasota). Rhodes then delivered a two-out single to centerfield, but Williams was called out at home after a strong throw from UNF centerfielder Danica Mandarano to Reese at home plate to end the inning.
 
Each team posted eight hits in the contest, with Rhodes going 3-for-4 plus a run for the Owls. KSU committed a pair of errors in the loss, while the Ospreys committed one.
 
Mixon (8-8) took the loss for the Owls despite not allowing any earned runs. Henderson registered seven strikeouts and allowed two runs off six hits in six innings of work.
 
Kaylie Wallace (15-4) pitched a complete game to earn the win for North Florida, who got two hits and a run each from Mandarano and Lexi Taylor.
 
Kennesaw State returns to Bailey Park for a three-game series against Florida Gulf Coast on Tuesday and Wednesday, April 9-10. The Owls and the Eagles will play a doubleheader on Tuesday, followed by a single game on Wednesday. First pitch for both days is set for 3 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.