LOUISVILLE, KY. – A two-run blast from
Kiera Cooper and a double-digit strikeout total from
Melanie Bennett lifted Kennesaw State softball (17-30, 8-11 ASUN Conference) past Bellarmine (4-40, 1-18 ASUN) 4-2 Friday afternoon.
Cooper went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and joined
Stella Henry (3-for-5),
Madison Miller (2-for-4) and
Bella Galloway (2-for-4) in the multi-hit category in game one.
KSU ace
Melanie Bennett (9-11) made it difficult for Knight batters Friday, collecting 14 strikeouts allowing only two earned runs. She extended her KSU DI career complete games record to 58.
Bennett tied KSU legend Amanda Henderson with the most career innings pitched in Owl Division I history at 586.1.
Henry led off the game with a single to extend her reached-base streak to 13 games and hitting streak to eight games, both lead the team.
Bellarmine scored in the bottom of the first to take a 1-0 lead.
After singles from Galloway and Henry in the second inning, Miller sent one into left to score Galloway and even the score at one.
Henry recorded her third hit of the contest in the fourth inning, marking her 11th hit in the last five games.
The Knights retook the lead in the bottom of the fourth, 2-1.
After a single and a stolen base placed Cooper on second, Galloway delivered another single to send Cooper home and once again tie the game at two apiece.
Cooper found home plate again in the top of the seventh after launching a homer to left to score two runs and put the Owls up 4-2.
Bennett struck out the side for the third time in the game to collect the final three outs and earn her ninth win of 2023.
Kennesaw State softball is now 6-0 all-time against Bellarmine.
The Owls improved to 50-9 in games collecting 10 hits or more under head coach
Tripp MacKay.
ON DECK
KSU and the Knights are set for game two Saturday, Apr. 29 at 1:00 p.m.
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.
