SIUE BOX SCORE (XML) | SIUE BOX SCORE (PDF)
IUPUI BOX SCORE (XML) | IUPUI BOX SCORE (PDF)
WOODSTOCK, Ga. – The Kennesaw State softball team posted a pair of 1-0 wins to open the KSU Classic on a cold and windy Saturday at the Twin Creeks Softball Complex. The Owls tallied an eighth inning victory over SIU Edwardsville in game one, before defeating IUPUI in walk-off fashion in the bottom of the seventh inning in game two.
KSU improved its 2013 record to 7-0, while SIUE dropped to 2-2 and IUPUI fell to 3-3 on the season.
With the wind being a major factor throughout the day, game one between KSU and SIUE became a pitchers' duel as both teams combined for only nine hits.
With neither team pushing across a run in regulation, the game headed for extra innings. Both teams agreed on using the international tiebreaker rule, with a runner placed on second base. As the designated visitors, KSU tallied the go-ahead run in the top of the eighth inning as freshman
Missy Perkowski (Woodstock, Ga./Sequoyah HS) started at second base. She advanced to third on a pop-up from fellow classmate
Kara Chambers (Kennesaw, Ga./Allatoona HS) and scored on a throwing error by Cougar third baseman Alex McDavid following a bunt single by senior
Jensen Hackett (Tunnel Hill, Ga./Ringgold HS)’s bunt single.
Heading into the bottom of the inning up 1-0, the Owls sailed to victory on the arm of junior pitcher
Amanda Henderson (Covington, Ga./Eastside HS) and a stout Kennesaw State defense.
KSU registered four hits in the outing, while SIUE notched five. Hackett, senior
Sara Sikes (Douglasville, Ga./Georgia), junior
Carly Van Auken (Largo, Fla./State College of Florida Manatee-Sarasota) and sophomore
Natalie Rhodes (Canton, Ga./Cherokee HS) each tallied hits for the Owls.
Henderson moved her 2013 mark to 5-0 with four innings of work after entering the game in the fourth inning for senior
Abbey Mixon (Canton, Ga./Cherokee HS). Henderson and Mixon each totaled six strikeouts in the contest, with Henderson only surrendering a single hit.
Haley Chambers took the loss for the Cougars, while Rachel Coonrod collected two hits for SIUE.
Henderson continued her strong play into the Owls’ second game of the day.
The junior pitcher struck out 10 Jaguar batters while allowing only three hits in seven innings of work to push her win total to six.
Continuing the theme from the first game, neither team could cross the plate put until the bottom of the seventh inning when KSU took advantage of sloppy play from IUPUI. Kennesaw State loaded the bases on three-straight Jaguar errors to set the stage for a walk-off win. Senior
Sharon Swanson (Woodstock, Ga./Cherokee HS) produced the game-winning hit for the Owls with a single up the middle that scored Chambers from third base.
KSU outhit the Jaguars, 5-3,, with IUPUI recording four errors in the loss. Swanson led the Owls with a 3-for-4 performance and an RBI.
Jocelyn Oppenhuis dropped to 1-2 on the season, while a trio of Jaguars each posted a hit.
Kennesaw State continues the KSU Classic on Sunday, Feb. 17 at the Twin Creeks Park in Woodstock, Ga. The Owls are set to face UT Martin at 1 p.m. (ET), followed by Tennessee Tech at 3:30 p.m. to wrap the tournament for KSU.
Keep up with Owls softball this year by following KSU on Twitter at @
KSUOwlNation and @
KSUGameDay or by liking Kennesaw State Owls on
Facebook.
Kennesaw State is celebrating 30 years of intercollegiate athletics during the 2012-13 academic year.
