The softball team opened up their home schedule over the weekend at the Bobbie Bailey Memorial Tournament, dropping the first two games to Rutgers on Friday, Feb. 23, before rebounding against Florida A&M and Morehead State the next day.
Alley Cutting started the first game for the Owls in a 4-3 loss, pitching well for most of the game and giving up one earned run. Errors proved to be the downfall for the Owls late in the game.
KSU scored all three of its runs in the fifth inning and led 3-1 going into the seventh. In the fifth, Olivia Tamewitz and Maddie Roth both had RBI doubles.
Rutgers came back and scored two unearned runs in the seventh to tie the game and one run in the eighth to secure the win.
In the second game on Friday, the Owls were dominated in a 7-0 defeat, managing a total of four hits on the day. Meredith Milam recorded three of those hits, while Hannah Thomason swung in the other hit.
The game was scoreless until the third inning when Rutgers scored five of its seven runs off of several Owl errors. Rutgers scored two more in the seventh to cap off the shutout victory.
The Owls rebounded Saturday in a 6-1 victory over Florida A&M, scoring all six runs between the second and fourth innings. Junior Hailey Andrews pitched effectively, starting and finishing the game for the Owls, allowing just six hits and striking out nine batters.
Patricia Awald and Katey Lynch each had two hits, two RBIs and one home run apiece.
Later that evening, the Owls shutout Morehead State 4-0. Olivia Tamewitz and Lynch each had two hits while Maggie Roth had one hit and one RBI. Cutting returned to the mound for the Owls, allowing five hits and recording seven strikeouts.
KSU scored single runs in the first, second, third and sixth innings.
The next game is at Georgia Tech on Wednesday, Feb. 28, at 6 p.m. and will be streamed live on ESPN3.
