GAME ONE BOX SCORE (XML) | BOX SCORE (PDF) | GAME TWO BOX SCORE (XML) | BOX SCORE (PDF)
 
KENNESAW, Ga. – The Kennesaw State softball team ran into a juggernaut on Sunday (March 15) at Bailey Park as the Owls dropped a doubleheader to Atlantic Sun Conference preseason favorite USC Upstate, falling 8-2 in the day's first game and 10-1 in sixth innings in game two.
 
"First off, we have to tip our hat to Upstate," said interim head coach Tory Acheson. "They came in here with a really good plan and they took care of business. That is a very strong team that played very well and unfortunately we did not have a great weekend. The kids showed a lot of heart today in the first game today. We really did a nice job of staying focused on the task at hand and really until the grand slam at the end we were right in the game and had a chance to maybe make something happen. Overall, it was a good learning experience for us. We need to take away the lesson that we can take away from this and build on it and get back to work on Tuesday, because we have another big game on Wednesday."
 
Junior Megan Veringa paced the Owls (15-9, 0-3) with a 3-of-5 effort, to go along with a pair of RBI on the day.
 
After both teams scored a run in the opening inning of game one, the Spartans (17-4, 3-0) took a 4-1 lead in the second with three runs on four hits, including leadoff homerun and back-to-back RBI singles.
 
KSU closed the gap to 4-2 in the bottom of the third as sophomore Lauren Bennett singled to right center field, before advancing to second on an Upstate miscue. After a fly out moved her to third, Veringa brought Bennett home on an RBI single to second base.
 
Neither team would get on the board again until the seventh when the Spartans sealed the 8-2 win with a grand slam from Dana Landers.
 
The Owls registered right hits in the contest, while Upstate totaled 12 and committed one error in the win.
 
Logan Viers (2-1) suffered her first loss of the season after giving up 12 hits and eight runs in 6.1 innings of work, while Upstate's Amanda Storch (6-1) earned the win and allowed just two runs, one earned, on eight hits in a complete game.
 
The hot bats continued for the Spartans in game two as Upstate grabbed a 3-0 through two innings after tallying three solo home runs between the two frames.
 
A grand slam in the third pushed the lead to 7-0, before a leadoff homer in the fourth took the score to 8-0.
 
The Owls would get on the board in the bottom of the fifth as Bennett singled to third base, before being plated when senior Natalie Rhodes reached on a throwing error from Spartan first baseman Cheyenne Griffin.
 
A pair of runs in the top of the sixth then sent Upstate to the 10-1 victory.
 
KSU recorded two hits and two errors in the setback, with Upstate notching 11 hits and one error.
 
Junior Morgan Sikes (4-5) took the loss after giving up seven runs, while Lexi Shubert (10-3) gave up just two hits and one unearned run in six innings of work.
 
The Owls next travel to Greenville, S.C., for a midweek doubleheader against Furman starting at 3 p.m. ET at Pepsi Softball Stadium.
 
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.