Rio White contributed to this article.
Kennesaw State’s softball team lost three close games as it played a trio of weekend home games against Florida Gulf Coast beginning on Saturday, March 21.
KSU began the series with a close 4-3 loss in extra innings during the 1 p.m. matchup.
The Eagles took an early lead, scoring three runs in the first two innings. Senior pitcher Hailey Andrews gave up two early home runs to FGCU, but settled down afterward, completing the game.
Senior Jessie Mullen helped start the comeback for the Owls, hitting a solo home run in the third inning before freshman Katie Greep batted in a run with a double in the next inning.
After KSU scored the third run on a bases-loaded walk, the game remained at three runs apiece through the end of the regular seven innings.
In the ninth inning, an RBI double helped the Eagles take a lead and the Owls were unable to respond.
Later on Saturday, the two teams met again with the Owls falling 5-2.
Similar to Andrews, pitcher Abby Deane gave up early runs before improving later on in the game.
A two-run single got FCGU ahead before the Owls responded in the second inning through an RBI bunt by redshirt freshman Christen Florence.
After the Eagles scored a third run, Greep drove in a run with a single to close the deficit back to one run. KSU was not able to score another run, and a final-inning home run by FGCU confirmed the loss.
In the weekend finale on Sunday, the Owls lost to the Eagles by a score of 5-2 again.
FGCU quickly took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning with an unearned run in the bottom of the first on an error with two outs.
The Owls quickly evened the score in the bottom of the first as senior Maddie Roth scored following a wild pitch by the Eagles, who would later take lead once again with a solo home run in the top of the third.
At the top of the fourth inning, FGCU took a 3-1 advantage with an RBI double to right-center field.
The Owls got runners in scoring position later in the game, but were unable to complete the comeback started by a home run to left field by Mullen during the bottom of the fifth inning.
The Eagles scored two runs in the top of the seventh inning to increase their lead to the eventual final score of 5-2.
Before finishing the game, the Owls competed in the final inning by bringing the tying run to the plate, but FGCU forced a groundout over to first to finish the game.
Mullen had two of the Owls’ six hits while Andrews allowed five runs and five hits, walked two and struck out eight in seven innings.
Next, the Owls will travel to Alabama to face Auburn in a doubleheader on Wednesday, March 27, beginning at 6 p.m.
