Saturday, March 18, 2006

KENNESAW, Ga. (March 18, 2006) - The ETSU softball team got its first taste of Atlantic Sun play on Saturday, falling to Kennesaw State 5-1, and 4-3, at the Bobbie Bailey Athletic Complex.  The Owls moved to 22-11 overall, 2-0 in the A-Sun, thanks to strong pitching that gave up just eight hits in two games.  ETSU drops to 7-20 on the year, 0-2 in conference.

KSU got on top early in game one when Jennifer Hunt laced a single down the leftfield line, plating both Jacki Warren and Norie Glazebrook in the bottom of the second. 

The Owls tacked on another three runs in the fifth, starting with an RBI single from Jennifer Nolan.  Nolan and Warren would both score on an ETSU fielding error, one of two Lady Buc miscues on the game.

The Lady Bucs got on the board in the sixth, with Briana Knight (Brier, Wash.) reaching base on a double to left center.  Knight would eventually come home as Jess Lonsinger (Dale City, Va.) got on base on an error by the KSU shortstop.  The Owls also committed a pair of errors in game one.

ETSU managed just three hits on the game, while KSU slammed eight, seven of which came against Brittany Lehrschall (Leland, N.C.), who took the loss to fall to 3-4 on the season.  Senior Courtney Jenkins (Knoxville, Tenn.) was solid in relief, giving up one hit and striking out two in 1 2/3 innings in the circle.

Lisa Lamb was credited with the win for Owls, giving up just two hits and fanning three in 5 2/3 innings.  Andrea Moss got her fourth save of the season, allowing just one ETSU hit in 1 1/3 innings of relief.

The Lady Bucs took to the offensive in game two, scoring two runs on four hits in the top of the first.  Stephanie Gaynord (Manassas, Va.) got things started, sending a double to right center, followed by a bunt single from Knight.  Jessie Hackworth (Clinton, Tenn.) also reached with a bunt single, scoring Gaynord.  Amanda Haverman (Kirkwood, Mo.) then sent a single up the middle, plating Knight.

Kennesaw State returned the favor in the bottom of the second, plating three runs on four hits.  Glazebrook got the scoring starting, belting an RBI single that scored Cambria McKay.  Amanda Malcom then roped a single of her own, scoring Nolan who had reached on a double to left center.  Glazebrook would score the final run of the inning, coming home on a single from April Keasler.

The Owls scored the eventual winning run in the fourth, with Malcom coming around on a Kelley Cowart single.

The Lady Bucs tried to mount a comeback in the sixth, with Knight getting on base as a result of an error in the KSU outfield.  Knight would cross the plate on an RBI single from Haverman, her second RBI of the game.

Mary Catherine Vercoe (Signal Mountain, Tenn.) took the loss in six innings of work, allowing eight hits and striking out three.  The freshman stands at 2-8 on the season.  KSU's Brittany Matthews improved to 8-3 on the year, giving up five hits and fanning eight in 6 1/3 innings.  Moss got her fifth save of the season and second of the afternoon, retiring ETSU's final two batters. 

The Lady Bucs return home next week as they host Western Carolina in a doubleheader on Tuesday, March 21.  Action begins at 1 p.m., at Metro-Kiwanis Park.