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COLUMBIA, S.C. – Junior Logan Viers and senior Morgan Sikes combined on a five-hit shutout to lead Kennesaw State to a 2-0 victory over Michigan State during Day Two action at the Gamecock Invitational in Columbia, S.C.
 
The win likely sets up a re-match with host South Carolina in Sunday's championship game scheduled for 3 p.m.
 
The Owls (12-3) did all their scoring in the third inning as Kara Chambers singled with one out, stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by Michigan State catcher Lindsey Besson. After Missy Perkowski walked to put runners at the corners, Courtney Sutter delivered a sacrifice fly to left-center field that scored Chambers with the first run of the game. Megan Veringa followed with a double down the right field line to plate Perkowski to give Kennesaw State a 2-0 lead.
 
That proved to be plenty of run support for Viers and Sikes (5-0). Viers allowed three hits in three-plus innings before Sikes entered the game in the fourth inning with two runners on base and allowed just two hits over the final four innings.
 
"It was a great team win today. Great pitching and defense, along with some quality at-bats to push across a couple runs," head coach Tory Acheson said. "We wanted to get a chance to play South Carolina again and the kids came through. It's a great chance for us to improve on the game we played with them yesterday (Friday)."
 
Junior Taylor Denton had two of the Owls' six hits, with Chambers, Veringa, Hillary Kartman and Katie Cannington also producing base hits.
 
The win over the Spartans (9-7) marks Kennesaw State's second victory over a Big Ten team this season as it also defeated Rutgers, 4-2, on Feb. 19.
 
NOTES
* With the win over Michigan State, Kennesaw State equaled the best 15-game start to a season by an Owls team during the NCAA Division I era. The 2013 squad also started its season 12-3, en route to a 19-3 3 start and 34-20 overall record.
* The 2-0 shutout of Michigan State marks the 11th time this season that Kennesaw State has allowed an opponent two or fewer runs in a game. In those contests, the Owls are 10-1. KSU is also 10-1 when scoring first.
* Senior Kara Chambers had a hit and walk against the Spartans to extend her streak of reaching base safely to a team-high seven games.
* With third-inning run batted in on Saturday, senior first baseman Megan Veringa increased her career total to 90, and 10 away from 100 for her career. 

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