by David Almeda
KSU softball opened Atlantic Sun Conference play on a bright note Saturday, sweeping a doubleheader with North Florida with a 10-8 comeback win and capitalizing on errors to post a 5-3 victory in game two.
With second contest of the day tied at three in the sixth, the Owls (10-9) were able to get two runners in scoring position with two outs. With a crucial opportunity, Angie Dascoli stepped to the plate. What looked like a routine ground ball slipped right through the legs of Ospreys shortstop Ashley Holton, giving the Owls a two run lead and eventually a sweep of the day’s games.
“Today was tough competition,” head coach Wes Holly Jr. said. “North Florida has always been a good team. We showed up today and we’re starting to get some consistency with hitting and pitching.”
The Owls stumbled out of the gate in game one, digging themselves into a 6-0 hole in the first inning. Unfazed, KSU began to climb back in, scoring two runs in the bottom half of the first before plating three more in the second to come to within one at 6-5.
After the Ospreys extended their slim lead to 7-5 in the third, the Owls staged a fifth inning rally. Megan Veringa hit her third home run of the season to tie the game at 7-7. Later in the inning, a walk from Kara Chambers and a single from Natalie Rhodes put runners at first and second. Taylor Denton then singled down the left field line to score Chambers and Angie Dascoli tripled in two more runs to give the Owls a 10-7 lead headed into the sixth.
North Florida would score in the final inning on a solo home run, but KSU would ultimately hang on for the 10-8 comeback win.
Behind pitcher Paige Matthews, the Owls began their second game stronger than their first, amassing a 3-0 lead by the fourth inning. The lead wouldn’t last long, as North Florida scored one in the fourth and two in the fifth to tie the game at 3-3.
With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, back-to-back singles from Rhodes and Denton put runners at second and third before the fateful North Florida error allowed the Owls to steal a 5-3 victory.
Amanda Henderson captured wins in both games, improving her record to 9-4 on the year. She pitched a total of 9.2 innings, capturing a complete game while striking out 9 on the day.
The Owls will now go for the series sweep when they take on the Ospreys again at Bailey Park on Sunday.
