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FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Kennesaw State softball team took some early shots from North Alabama to open the ASUN Tournament, fighting back from an 8-1 deficit to pull within three, but the late rally came up short as the Owls fell to UNA 8-5 Wednesday evening.
 
How it happened: Hannah Thomason got the Owls (26-28) started off on the right foot with a lead-off single. She would be caught stealing before Maddie Roth blasted a double on the following at-bat. KSU eventually put two runners on, but the Lions (26-18) shut the door with a strikeout.
 
UNA started off hot as well with back-to-back singles to open the bottom of the first. After a wild pitch advanced both runners, the Lions' Meleah Hargett scored from third on a throwing error. UNA added one more run thanks to an RBI single before KSU could get out of the inning trailing 2-0.
 
The Lions extended their lead with a two-run home run to make it 4-0 after two innings.
 
The Owls finally got on the board in the top of the third as Jessie Mullen cranked a lead-off double to left center field. Thomason followed suit with her second bloop single of the day to put two on with no outs. After a ground out and a pop fly, Kira Czyrklis dug in and ripped a single up the middle to score Mullen and make it 4-1.
 
UNA responded in the bottom of the fourth inning, loading the bases with two outs as Harley Stokes stepped into the box and struck one over the center field wall for the grand slam.
 
Down 8-1, the Owls clawed their way back into it in the top of the sixth, loading the bases with no outs behind back-to-back walks and a single from Jade Lee. Brea Dickey then stepped in and blasted a double onto the warning track to clear the bases and make it 8-4. After back-to-back strikeouts, Thomason kept the momentum going with an RBI single.
 
The Owls looked to continue their rally in the seventh inning before a lightning delay forced a three-hour delay. Roth picked up right where the Owls left off once play finally resumed around 9:00 p.m., belting a lead-off single. Czyrklis followed suit with a single on the following at-bat to put two on with no outs, but the rally ended there as the next three batters flew out to end the game.
 
Notes: Hannah Thomason led the way for KSU going 3-for-4 at the top of the order, her fifth game this season with at least three hits … Thomason has now reached base safely in 13 straight games … Maddie Roth, Kira Czyrklis and Jessie Mullen all finished with two hits in the game … Czyrklis was a perfect 2-for-2 with one RBI, one run scored and two walks drawn to mark her 12th multi-hit game of the year and third game with at least two walks … Both of Mullen's hits on the day were doubles, a career single-game high … Brea Dickey's only hit of the day was a big one, recording a three-RBI double … as a team, the Owls hit four doubles, marking only the fourth time this year they have recorded four or more doubles … KSU logged 11 total hits on the day, its 12th game this year with double-digit hits … Hailey Andrews recorded the loss, pitching four innings and recording three strikeouts … freshman Peyton Elzey finished the game on the mound, tossing two strikeouts and allowing zero runs in two innings of work.
 
Up next: The Owls look to bounce back in a win or go home game against No. 3 seed FGCU Thursday afternoon at 1:30 p.m.