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KENNESAW, Ga. – Junior Megan Veringa's first home run of the season was all the Kennesaw State softball team needed as the Owls wrapped the KSU Classic with a 1-0 win over Tennessee Tech on Sunday (Feb. 8) night at Bailey Park.
 
"That was a classic fastpitch softball game," said interim head coach Tory Acheson. "To win a 1-0 shutout was a great accomplishment for us. All of our pitchers came out and pounded the zone and went right at hitters and it showed in the way we were able to play an all-around game. Hats off to the pitchers for the combined shutout and then we made some amazing plays defensively behind them. The two double plays and TD's diving catch in right center were game changers. Back when we started talking in the preseason, we talked about how we would have some plays where our outfielders would break hearts, so she broke some hearts tonight, which was fun to see."
 
"Overall, the weekend was a gigantic step forward for us. To see this team come out and play with this much spunk, this much passion and this much fire, is a great accomplishment in itself. Then to by 3-1 on top of that is a really great thing. It gives us a big push forward heading into the rest of the nonconference season and it also gives us things to work on heading into next week. We have got another challenging schedule with another big weekend with Kentucky coming to town. I am sure we will have another big crowd because Kentucky has a whole bunch of Atlanta area kids on their roster, so I do not know if we will break the record we set the other night with Tennessee, but hopefully we will get a bunch of people out here for that game."
 
Veringa delivered the Owls' first hit and the only score of the game in the second inning on a two-out blast to right field to put KSU (3-1) up 1-0.
 
The defense took over from there as the Golden Eagles (1-3) threatened in the top of the sixth after a single and hit by pitch put runners on first and second with two outs. A bomb to left center field looked to score the first TTU runs, but a diving catch from sophomore right fielder Taylor Denton ended the rally and the inning for the visitors.
 
Down to their last three outs, the Golden Eagles notched back-to-back hits to open the top of the seventh, before sophomore Logan Viers entered the contest. After a foul out down the third base line, the Owls turned a 6-4-3 double play to end the game and earn the shutout win.
 
KSU totaled four hits and one error, while TTU had five hits and one error. Along with Veringa's long ball, the Owls got hits from senior Natalie Rhodes and juniors Kara Chambers and Hillary Kartman.
 
Senior Paige Mathews (2-0) pitched four innings in relief of junior starter Morgan Sikes to get the win, allowing just two hits and striking out four in the victory. Viers picked up her first save of the season with the final three outs of the game.
 
Danielle Liberatore (0-2) went the entire way for the Golden Eagles in the loss.
 
The Owls return to Bailey Park for their second-straight tournament at home with the Phyllis Rafter Memorial Invitational on Feb. 13-15 and will host 2014 NCAA Women's College World Series participant Kentucky as well as IUPUI, Southern Illinois and Morehead State. 
 
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.