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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – With a two-run home run in the top of the seventh inning from junior Hillary Kartman, the Kennesaw State softball team secured its second-straight series win and first Atlantic Sun Conference series win of the season with a 5-3 come-from-behind victory over North Florida on a cloudy Sunday (March 22) afternoon at the UNF Softball Complex.
 
"This team has a lot to be proud of," said interim head coach Tory Acheson. "This was a hard fought series and getting two wins is a testament to the progress we are making. UNF is having a very good year, so to win this series is huge. Our pitchers did a great job, giving us a chance to fight back in each game and we got a couple clutch hits when we needed them. Rachel Dennis had a big day driving in two and Hillary Kartman came up huge with the bomb in the seventh."
 
With the win, KSU moves to 19-10 on the season and 2-4 in the A-Sun, while UNF drops to 21-13 and 3-3 in the league.
 
An Owl error gave the Ospreys an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, but KSU responded to take a 2-1 advantage in the top of the fourth on a single to left field from sophomore Lauren Bennett, followed by a sacrifice fly to centerfield from junior Rachel Dennis.
 
The lead was short-lived as UNF scored a pair of runs with an RBI sacrifice fly and a solo home run in the bottom of the frame to take a 3-2 edge.
 
KSU knotted the score at 3-3 in the top of the sixth when Dennis knocked in junior Missy Perkowski on her first career triple down the right field line.
 
Kartman then delivered her team-leading seven long ball of the season to put the Owls up 5-3 heading into the bottom of the seventh.
 
Junior Morgan Sikes (7-5) posted three-straight outs to earn the win as the Douglasville, Ga., native did not give up a run, while allowing just two hits in two and a third innings of relief work.
 
Senior Paige Mathews started the game and allowed just three runs, two of them earned, on four hits in fourth and two-thirds innings of action.
 
KSU registered eight hits and an error in the win, while the Ospreys tallied six hits and three errors.
 
Kayla Goff (10-4) took the loss after giving up three runs on three hits in three innings of work.
 
The Owls will have a busy week coming up with a trio of midweek contest as KSU hosts Troy in a doubleheader on Tuesday, March 24 at 3 p.m. ET in Bailey Park, before making the short drive down to Atlanta for a 5 p.m. game at regional rival Georgia 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.