Box Score (PDF)
 
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The season is not over for the No. 6 Kennesaw State softball team (22-26) after a dramatic extra-inning 3-2 victory over the No. 7 Stetson Hatters (21-35) Tuesday at the UNF Softball Complex.
 
The nine-inning contest ended on an RBI single from senior Katie Greep to send the Owls to the next round. Greep went 2-for-5 with one double and two RBI, the last of which sealed the win for KSU.
 
The two teams went back-and-forth in the first four scoreless frames and starting pitcher Melanie Bennett (16-14) stranded seven Hatter runners on base during that span.
 
Kennesaw State broke through with the first run of the game in the bottom of the fifth. After drawing a walk to lead off the inning, Isabella Galloway scored on a double from shortstop Faith Alexander.
 
Alexander ran across home in the next at-bat after Greep doubled to put the Owls up 2-0 after five.
 
Stetson added two runs in the top of the seventh to keep the game going and sent it into extra innings.
 
Bennett was perfect in the additional innings, retiring all six Hatter hitters faced.
 
Galloway reached again on an error in the bottom of the ninth and with two outs, Greep hit an opposite field double to send her home and score the deciding run and advanced KSU to the next round.
 
Bennett pitched all 9.0 innings recording a season-high 12 punchouts and earned her 16th win of the season.
 
With the win, KSU moves on to the double-elimination portion of the 2022 ASUN Softball Championship to play No. 3 North Florida.
 
 
GAME NOTES
>> Bennett's 9.0 innings-pitched set a new career high.
>> Bennett's 12 strikeouts is the most in a game since she posted 14 on Apr. 17, 2021 against Bellarmine.
>> KSU's win streak now stands at eight games, the most since the team won 10 in-a-row in 2019.
>> Greep's reached-base streak is now at eight games.
>> Galloway's two-run game was the second multi-run game of her career. She has now reached base in each of the last eight games.
>> Greep (4), Pacy Villa (4), Galloway (3), Alexander (3) and Taylor Cates (3) all extended their hitting streaks.
 
ON DECK
The Owls are back in action Wednesday, May 11 at 3:00 p.m. against No. 3 North Florida at the UNF Softball Complex in the double-elimination portion of the 2022 ASUN Softball Championship.
Following the contest against the Ospreys, Kennesaw State continues its run through the tournament on Thursday, May 12.
All games of the 2022 ASUN Softball Championship will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
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.