By: by Mark Toma
ATLANTA, Ga. – The Kennesaw State softball team concluded Autumn League action on Sunday afternoon with a doubleheader against Georgia Tech at Shirley Mewborn Field. The Yellow Jackets defeated the Owls in the opener with the teams playing to a tie in the nightcap.
The Owls (2-1-3) dropped the first game of the twin bill, 5-2, as Georgia Tech scored four unanswered runs to overcome a 2-1 KSU lead. The Owls spotted Tech a run in the first inning, but took the lead on solo home runs by Klair Wells and Katie Hamilton in the second inning.
Abbey Meixel (0-1) took the loss, allowing three runs on four hits in four innings of work while Amanda Burns pitched three innings, allowing a pair of runs on five hits with two strikeouts.
Ashlee Burkett led a seven-hit Kennesaw State attack with two hits including a double. The Owls also got base hits from Jenna Closner, Jensen Hackett and Hollie Huffman.
"It was nice to see us swing the bats as aggressively as we did,” said head coach Scott Whitlock. “Tech is a quality club and for us to be as confident as we were against their pitching is promising."
In the nightcap, the Owls took a four-run lead into the bottom of the seventh inning before the Yellow Jackets rallied with four runs to tie the game.
Kennesaw State took a 3-0 lead in the first inning on a run scoring double by Jessica Cross and a two-run double by Karlie Gillam. After Georgia Tech scored a run in the bottom of the third, the Owls added a pair of runs on a two-run home run by Brittany Moore that clipped the left field foul pole in the seventh inning.
April Harper started and went four innings, allowing one run on just two hits. Amanda Burns pitched a scoreless inning in relief n the fifth while Jessica Cross pitched the final two innings of the game, allowing four runs on six hits with three strikeouts.
The Black and Gold pounded out 10 hits in the nightcap with Burkett and Moore each having two hits. Jensen Hackett, Hamilton, Cross, Gillam and Kelsey Kulk added hits for the Owls who had 17 hits on the day.
"We did some things really well, such as working for the entire 14 innings and playing solid defense,” added Whitlock. “We also showed that we're still lacking consistency with our pitching. But, all-in-all it was a good day for us."
The Owls will open up the regular season on February 13, 2010 when they host Wright State at the K-Club Classic at the Twin Creeks Softball Complex.
Game 1 | Georgia Tech 5, Owls 2
| Teams |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
|
R |
H |
E |
| Kennesaw State |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
2 |
7 |
1 |
| Georgia Tech |
1 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
5 |
10 |
0 |
LP - Meixel (4), Burns (3) HR - Wells (1), Hamilton (1)
Game 2 | Owls 5, Georgia Tech 5
Teams
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
|
R
|
H
|
E |
Kennesaw State
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
|
5
|
10
|
1
|
Georgia Tech
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
4
|
|
5
|
8
|
1
|
Harper (4), Burns (1), Cross (2) HR - Moore (1)
