GAME ONE BOX SCORE (XML) | GAME ONE BOX SCORE (PDF) | GAME TWO (XML) | GAME TWO BOX SCORE (PDF)
 
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The bats came alive for the Kennesaw State softball team at Grein Softball Field as the Owls swept an Atlantic Sun Conference doubleheader with Northern Kentucky, blasting the Norse 17-7 in game one, before taking a 9-1 five-inning win in game two on Saturday, March 15.
 
The Owls, now 14-11 on the season and 4-1 in the A-Sun, outscored NKU (2-16, 0-5) 24-8 on the day, with game one's 17 runs tying for the second-most runs scored in a game in the Division I era for KSU. The Owls scored 19 runs in a win over Furman in 2006.
 
The KSU bats came alive in game one as the Owls registered a season-high 19 hits, while plating a season-high nine runs in the seventh inning.
 
Both teams would trade the lead back and forth in the first three innings of day's first contest as the Norse took a 4-3 lead into the fifth inning before an RBI ground out from sophomore Megan Veringa plated freshman Taylor Denton to even the game at 4-4.
 
An inning later, the Owls continued its comeback efforts with four runs in the sixth as junior Natalie Rhodes delivered an RBI-triple to centerfield, followed by an RBI-ground out from redshirt-senior Sara Sikes. Senior Angie Dascoli then brought in the third run of the inning on a single to left field, before scoring on a NKU wild pitch.
 
After a pair of Norse runs in the bottom of the sixth, the Owls shut the door on the home team with nine runs in the seventh to take a 17-6 advantage heading into the final half inning of the contest. NKU would muster just one run in the inning as the Owls went on for the 17-7 win in game one.
 
Senior pitcher Amanda Henderson (12-4) earned the win in the circle, striking out a season-high 13 batters while giving up five earned runs and nine hits in the complete game effort.
 
Rhodes was dynamite at the plate, going 4-of-5 with five RBI and three runs to lead the Owl offense. Sikes added four RBI in the win, with Dascoli and sophomore Kara Chambers posting three hits as every Owl batter registered a hit in the blowout.
 
Alex Caudill (0-8) took the loss for NKU, who got three hits and three RBI from Dee Dee Davis.
 
The Owl offense continued where it left off in game two with four of the first five KSU batters in game two registering hits to take an early 3-0 lead.
 
NKU put a run on the board in the bottom of the first on an RBI single through the right side, but that would be it for the Norse as the Owls scored in every inning, including a two-run Denton single up the middle in the second inning and a solo home run from Dascoli in the third, her first long ball of the season.
 
Junior pitcher Paige Mathews (1-4) earned her first win in the Black and Gold as the right hander allowed only six hits and one unearned run, while striking out six in five innings of work.
 
The Owls put up 13 hits in game two with Denton leading the way with a 3-of-3 performance, two RBIs and two runs in the victory. Chambers added three hits and three runs for the visitors.
 
Paige McQueen (1-5) went two innings and gave up six runs in the loss for the Norse.
 
The Owls will look for the series sweep tomorrow, Sunday, March 16, with the game's start time moved up to 11 a.m. ET, due to the impending weather in the area.
 
To keep up with the latest Kennesaw State softball news follow the team on Twitter @KSUOwlNation and @KSUOwlsSB or by liking Kennesaw State University on Facebook.
 
Season tickets are on sale for the entire home slate at $39, with single game tickets available for $6 for adults and $4 for youth (ages 3-12). To order season tickets contact the KSU Athletics Ticket Office at 770-423-OWLS (6957) or click HERE.
 
Lexi's Day tickets are now available for $10, click HERE to purchase tickets.
 
 

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