GAME 1 BOX SCORE  GAME 2 BOX SCORE

TROY, Ala. – The Kennesaw State softball team began play at the 2020 Troy Invitational on Friday, winning game one against Southeast Missouri State and dropping game two to Troy.

GAME 1
There was no rest for the weary, as the Owls faced Southeast Missouri State in the first game of the Troy Invitational at 10:00 AM local time just hours after knocking off Auburn. 
 
The RedHawks took advantage early, scoring a run off a double steal in the first inning to snag a quick 1-0 lead.
 
KSU answered quickly with a sacrifice in the second inning by Faith Alexander that brought in Taylor Cates for the tying run.
 
Cates showed patience at the plate in the third inning, drawing a bases loaded walk to score Cheyanne Sales and take the lead. Katie Greep and Hannah Thomason hit back to back RBI singles, and the Owls lead inflated the lead to 5-1.
 
SEMO responded in the bottom of the third inning with an RBI triple to close the gap to 5-2.
 
After a solid start by Abby Deane, Lindsey Kyte came out of the pen and dominated the fourth frame, ending the inning on two straight strikeouts.
 
Cates wasted little time in the top of the fifth, hitting a solo shot to center field on the first pitch of the inning extending the Owl lead to 6-2. 
 
The RedHawks cut into the lead with an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth. Kristen Davis would enter the game for Kyte but threw a bases loaded walk and the lead would shrink to 6-4.
 
The RedHawks threatened in the bottom of seventh with a runner reaching second base but outs by Faith Alexander and Cates ended the game and gave the Owls their sixth straight victory.
 
Deane got the start for the Owls, going three innings, allowing a hit, two runs, one earned, walking two batters and striking out three. Kyte would earn her second win of the season, going 2.1 innings, giving up two runs, two hits, walking two batters and striking out three. Davis would earn the save, going 1.2 innings, allowed zero hits and zero runs, walked three batters and struck out one.
 
GAME 2
 
The Owls dropped their first game of the season, falling to tournament host Troy Friday evening.
 
The Trojans started quick, scoring three runs in the first inning to take a quick 3-0 lead.
 
KSU responded in the top of the second inning with a two-run home run by Lexi Solorzano, her first of the season, to cut the lead to 3-2. 
 
Troy extended their lead with runs in the bottom of the third inning before adding four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.
 
The Owls tried to rally in the seventh as Jade Lee would draw a one out walk, but a double play would end the game, giving the Trojans the 9-2 victory. 
 
Melanie Bennett was given the loss, bringing her record to 2-1. Bennett went 3.2 innings allowing nine hits, five runs, four of them earned, while walking two Trojan batters and striking out three. Peyton Elzey went two innings in relief, allowing four runs off four hits while walking a batter and striking out three. Kristen Davis would finish up the game going 0.1 innings, giving up a hit, walking one batter and striking out another.

Notable Stats
• Kylie Vannavong made her first appearance of her career, stealing second base in game one in the sixth inning
• Kristen Davis earned her first career save and the first Owls save of the season
• Lexi Solorzano hit her first home run of the season. Solorzano lead the Owls in home runs last season with eight
• Game one was the Owls first win ever over Southeast Missouri State and the third win of the season over a team from the Ohio Valley Conference after going 2-0 vs Jacksonville State at last week's Phyllis Rafter Memorial Tournament 

Next Up
The Owls will continue play at the Troy Invitational with two games on Saturday, Feb. 15 beginning at 11:30 AM against Eastern Illinois and concluding at 7:00 PM against Purdue Fort Wayne. 
 

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