Game One Box Score (PDF) | Game Two Box Score (PDF)
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Kennesaw State softball team (12-24, 4-10 ASUN Conference) fought from start-to-finish in all 15 innings of a doubleheader against the North Florida Ospreys (34-11, 13-4 ASUN) Saturday.
A four-run rally in the top of the seventh in game two highlighted a wire-to-wire performance from the Owls, who out-hit the Ospreys in game two after tying the home team with seven hits each in game one.
GAME ONE (L, 4-1)
North Florida jumped out to a 3-0 lead out of the game in the bottom of the first.
The two teams went scoreless in the next three frames.
The Owls broke through in the top of the fifth off an RBI single from
Brinaya Bailey that scored freshman
Ty Hardeman from third, cutting the deficit to 3-1.
The Ospreys tacked on another run to make it 4-1 in the bottom half of the inning. The KSU offense didn't plate a run for the remainder of the game.
Melanie Bennett (9-11) started the contest and was credited with the loss.
GAME ONE NOTES
>> Faith Alexander,
Katie Greep,
Kiera Cooper and
Madison Miller all earned a stolen base in the game.
>> Cooper extended her hitting streak to a season team-high nine games.
>> Bailey pushed her reached-base streak to 10 games.
GAME TWO (L, 8-7)
The Owls struck first in the nightcap of the doubleheader with a two-run blast from
Taylor Cates that scored Greep, giving KSU a 2-0 lead.
UNF responded in its half of the first and third innings, jumping in front 4-2.
Pacy Villa cut into the deficit in the 4th with a double down the right field line to make it 4-3 after scoring Cates from third.
The Ospreys added three more runs in the following three frames and got out to a 7-3 lead.
Kennesaw State started the seventh inning down by four runs. With two on, Greep singled to center to score Hardeman and shred the UNF lead to three, 7-4.
After Cates reached, bases were loaded for Bailey who drew a walk and cut the deficit to 7-5.
A wild pitch that scored Greep combined with a sacrifice fly from Cooper plated two more runs and evened the game at seven runs apiece.
UNF ended the game in the bottom of the eighth with a walk-off single to secure an 8-7 victory.
Bennett (9-12) pitched 3.2 innings of relief and was credited with the loss.
GAME TWO NOTES
>> Cates' first-inning homer marked her ASUN-leading 12th of the season.
>> Bailey extended her reached-base streak to 11 games.
>> Four different Owls (Greep, Cates, Villa and Hardeman) posted a multi-hit game.
ON DECK
The three-game tilt against the Ospreys concludes Saturday, April 16 at 1:00 p.m. on ESPN+.
The Owls return home on Saturday, April 23 for the beginning of a three-game series against the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles. Admission is free and fans can follow along on the KSU Owl Network YouTube channel.
To keep up with the latest Kennesaw State softball news follow the team on Twitter @KSUOwlNation and @KSUOwlsSB or by liking Kennesaw State University on Facebook.
