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ATLANTA -- Courtney Sutter launched a go-ahead solo home run in the bottom of the sixth and Alley Cutting pitched a gem to lead Kennesaw State to a 2-1 win over Western Kentucky in the first round of the National Invitational Softball Championship.
 
Cutting fanned five and walked one in her complete-game performance as the Owls (37-18) made their Division-I postseason debut. The ASUN Freshman of the Year retired the final 13 Hilltoppers as she improved to 18-10.
 
The Owls advance in the Region 5 bracket, hosted by Georgia State, and will face the winner of Tuesday's third game (Georgia State vs. UT-Martin) at 4 p.m. on Wednesday at GSU's Bob Heck Field.
 
Western Kentucky (30-30) drew first blood as Adarian Gray broke the scoreless tie with a solo shot to left with two outs in the third. Another single followed, but it was all Cutting after that. The rookie dodged further trouble in the third, and retired the next 13 batters she faced while striking out four to end the game.
 
The Owls drew even in the home half of the third when Kira Czyrklis smacked an RBI double off the wall in center that scored Olivia Tamewitz.
 
The duel between Cutting and WKU's Kathyrn Downing continued into the sixth when the Owls seized the lead for good. With two outs in the frame, Sutter, the ASUN Player of the Year, took Downing deep to left for her 15th home run this season.
 
Downing, who allowed six hits over six innings, took the tough-luck loss and slipped to 16-14.
 
Beth McCulley, Noelle Winkles and Chandler Griffin accounted for the Owls other six hits.
 
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