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KENNESAW, Ga. – Behind 10 strikeouts from senior pitcher Amanda Henderson, the Kennesaw State softball team grabbed an 8-7 come-from behind win over Lipscomb as sophomore Courtney Sutter sent in the winning run on a walk-off single up the middle in the bottom of the seventh inning on Sunday, March 23 at Bailey Park.
 
With the win, the Owls snap a three-game skid to improve to 16-14 and 6-3 in the Atlantic Sun Conference. The Bisons fall to 26-5 and 8-3 in conference play.
 
"One thing about this team is that they do not quit," said head coach Wes Holly, Jr. "They keep fighting and that is big with me. This win is about them for staying in the fight until the very end. Lipscomb's pitchers held us down yesterday, we made some adjustments today and came up with some big hits."
 
With her 10 strikeouts on the day, Henderson goes over 600 in her KSU career and has registered 603 career strikeouts, including 120 this season, which sits second in the KSU Division I record books. The right-handed pitcher went the entire way to earn the win, giving up only six hits and six earned runs to improve to 13-5 on the season.
 
"Amanda's a pitcher that has been the back bone of this staff for a long time and what makes her successful is her consistency," added Holly. "She hits almost 80 to 90 percent of my patterns and that is what makes her very consistent with the pitches. I congratulate her on an outstanding milestone that not many pitchers attain."
 
Trailing the Bisons 7-5 heading into the bottom of the seventh, the Owls put together three-straight hits from junior Natalie Rhodes, freshman Taylor Denton and an RBI-double to center field from senior Angie Dascoli. Following a game-tying sacrifice fly from senior Sara Sikes, sophomore Megan Veringa singled to center field to advance sophomore pinch runner Rachel Dennis to third base for Sutter.
 
The Marietta, Ga., native then sent the ball up the middle for a base hit, bringing home Dennis for the walk-off winner.
 
The Bisons came ready to play on Sunday, scoring four runs on four hits and an Owl miscue in the game's opening inning. KSU responded with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning as Dascoli registered a two-run double to right field following hits from Rhodes and Denton.
 
KSU then cut the Bisons lead to one at 4-3 in the third as Denton scored on a fielding error from Lipscomb second baseman Mimi Cartwright.
 
Three Bisons runs in the fourth again pushed the visitors' lead to 7-3, but the Owls continued to battle with back-to-back RBI-hits, including a double to left center from sophomore Kara Chambers and an infield single from Rhodes in the bottom of the fourth to trim the Lipscomb lead in half at 7-5.
 
The Owls then capped the come-from-behind victory in dramatic fashion in the bottom of the seventh.
 
KSU doubled up the Bisons with 12 hits to six, but committed two error to Lipscomb's one in the contest. Dascoli led the Owls with three RBI and two hits, while Rhodes and Denton each posted three hits in the win. Sutter added two hits and the game-winning RBI for the Owls.
 
Heather Parker (7-3) took the loss for Lipscomb, who got three RBI from Cartwright to go along with a two-hit, two-RBI game from Brittany Elmore.
 
The Owls continue its home stand with the rubber match against Georgia State on Tuesday, March 25, before hosting Georgia Tech for Lexi's Day 2014 on Wednesday, March 26. First pitch for both games is set for 6 p.m. ET at Bailey Park.
 
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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