Game 1: Box Score (PDF) | Box Score (XML)
Game 2: Box Score (PDF) | Box Score (XML)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Behind outstanding starting pitching from Alley Cutting and Abigail Green, and clutch hitting from Courtney Sutter, the Kennesaw State softball team clinched an ASUN Conference Tournament berth following a doubleheader sweep of Lipscomb Saturday at Draper Diamond in Nashville.
 
The Owls (34-16, 10-6) won the opener, 9-1, in six innings and blanked the Bisons, 2-0, in the nightcap to post their first series win at Lipscomb since 2013.
 
Cutting (16-9) allowed five hits, one unearned run, and struck out four in five innings of the opener. Green (5-1), who held Lipscomb (34-17, 7-7) hitless for five innings, pitched a career-high seven innings, surrendered three hits, walked three and struck out nine, coming within one strikeout of equaling her career high of 10.
 
Sutter had a big day at the plate as she went 4-for-7, hit two homes runs, doubled, scored three times and collected five RBIs. Hannah Thomason added three hits to extend her hitting streak to a career-high 11 games, scored three times, and added a stolen base.
 
Kennesaw State had its bats going early in game one against the ASUN Conference's leading pitcher in sophomore Mandy Jordan (22-8). The Bison's right-hander entered the game with a 22-7 record and led the conference in wins, ERA and strikeouts.
 
Thomason continued to be an igniter at the top of the Owls' batting order, starting run-scoring rallies in the first and third innings. She opened the game with a single and scored on Sutter's 12th home run of the season.
 
Thomason was back at it again in the third, leading off the frame with a single to left field and scoring on an RBI double to left-center field by Olivia Tamewitz.
 
For the third time in four innings, Kennesaw State got its leadoff hitter on base when Kira Czyrklis began the fourth by hitting a home run to center field to extend the Owls' lead to 4-1. KSU went on to add three more runs in the frame to take a 7-1 lead.
 
An RBI double by Sutter and run-scoring single by Noelle Winkles in the sixth capped the scoring. Logan Viers finished the game in the circle with a perfect bottom of the sixth.
 
In the nightcap, Green and McCarley Thomas (11-7) were locked in a scoreless tie through three innings until Sutter opened the fourth with her 13th home run of the year to give the Owls a 1-0 lead.
 
After Thomason led off the fifth with an infield single and stole second for her 31st steal of the season, Sutter singled through the right side to drive home Thomason with an insurance run.  
 
ON DECK
The Owls and Bisons will conclude weekend play with the series finale Sunday at 3 p.m. (ET).
 
NOTES

• Courtney Sutter's two home runs gave her 13 for the year and moved her into a tie for 10th place on Kennesaw State's single-season home run list. She also moved into a tie for fifth place on KSU's career home chart with 34.
• With one stolen base on Saturday, Hannah Thomason increased her season total to 31 (in 32 attempts) and moved her within one of tying teammate Taylor Denton for KSU single-season stolen base record. Denton set the mark with 32 in 2016. Thomason also extended her hitting streak to a career-high 11 games.
   
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