ORLANDO, Fla. – Early inning surges lifted the Owls (6-13) to a perfect day defeating Bethune-Cookman (1-15) and Princeton (5-2) Saturday morning in the UCF Tournament.
 
The wins mark the third time the Owls have won back-to-back games this year and the first flawless double-header.
 
Game One vs. Bethune-Cookman (W, 8-5)
The Owls were lethal in the first inning, scoring six runs and batting around in the inning for the second time this season. It all started with a Madison Miller walk followed by her stolen base. Ava Guzowski walked leading Macie Howes to single to left field. The first run was scored on an error from the left fielder as the play brought Miller in. Kiera Cooper collected two RBIs with a left field single with the bases loaded. Two pitches later, Evans scored an infield single bringing Kassidy Amerson-Fox across going up 5-0. The final run in the first inning was scored off a triple to left field by Ty Hardeman.
 
It was the second highest inning total for the Owls this season (eight runs vs. Robert Morris).
 
Another run was added to the tally in the third with an Evans sacrifice fly bringing Amerson-Fox home for the second time. The final run was scored in the sixth after an infield single from Miller led to a fielding error, scoring Hardeman.
 
Leah Jannakos secured her first collegiate win throwing 6.1 innings and surrendering just one earned run.
 
Game Two vs. Princeton (W, 5-1)
The offense heated up quickly yet again with a run scored in the first inning. It came off the bat of Guzowski who singled up the middle scoring Stella Henry.
 
Princeton would tie the game in the home half of the first, but the Owls continued to pour in runs. Howes regained the lead for KSU with a sacrifice fly scoring Miller to go up by one.
 
KSU was able to add insurance runs in the fourth inning thanks to a single from Henry, scoring Cooper and Evans. Cooper began the inning with a double to right field and Evans reached via a walk.
 
Guzowski would strike yet again adding a run in the seventh inning with a single to right field. She plated Henry for the second time in the game.
 
Melanie Bennett carved her way to her first win of the season with a complete game. She gave up just one run on three hits. She accrued four strikeouts and no walks in her first complete game of the year.

The top of the lineup was ultra sharp combining eight hits with Guzowski and Henry getting three a piece. It was the fifth career three hit game for Henry and the first since April 28, 2023, versus Bellarmine. Today's display was Guzowski's first career three hit game. Miller earned two hits to mark her second consecutive multi-hit game of the year and her sixth of the season.

On Deck
The Owls will conclude their part in the UCF Tournament with the UCF Knights at 11 a.m. Sunday morning. The game will be streamed on ESPN+

Admission is free to all Kennesaw State softball home games in 2024.

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