The Kennesaw State softball team started the I-75 Challenge off strong with a pair of wins over East Tennessee State and Georgia State on Feb. 25.
KSU secured game one of the day as they run-ruled the Buccaneers of ETSU 8-0. The Owls’ starting pitcher Junior Melanie Bennett threw a no-hitter through five innings before the Bucs had their first runner aboard in the top of the sixth inning.
The bats of KSU were hot as senior Taylor Cates kicked the game off with a solo home-run in the first inning. The Owls scored two more runs in the bottom of the third inning, and eventually went up 5-0 in the fourth after an RBI by senior Faith Alexander and a bases-loaded walk.
ETSU’s defense proved no match for KSU’s offense continuing into the sixth inning. The Owls capitalized on errors and pushed the score to 8-0 to end off the game.
The second game of Friday afternoon’s doubleheader was a back-and-forth battle against in-state rival, Georgia State.
KSU swept day one of the I-75 Challenge as they defeated the Panthers in nine innings. The Owls’ third baseman, Cates, went 3-for-4, with five RBIs, and two home runs, one being the walk-off to win the game.
The Panthers started the game off strong as they gained a quick 3-0 lead in the first inning. The Owls responded with one run in the second and tied the game up at 3 after a two-run bomb by Cates.
GSU crossed the plate to score a run in the fourth, but KSU answered as sophomore Mary Greg Anderson’s run tied the game up once again, 4-4. A two-run home-run by the Panthers increased their lead to 6-4 in the sixth, but KSU gained back two runs to send the game into extra innings.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Cates launched her second home-run blast of the game to walk it off. This marked the first multi-homer game of her collegiate career. Owls’ pitcher, Junior Emily Perrin also marked up her first win of the 2022 season.
On day two of the I-75 Challenge, KSU played a doubleheader against Penn State, losing both games.
The first game saw the Owls lose 5-2 after Penn State hit two runs early and a three-run homer in the top of the third.
In the second game of the afternoon, Cates got her fourth home run in four games, leading the team with six on the season. However, Penn State would go on to win the game 10-2 after scoring nine unanswered runs.
KSU finished the I-75 tournament with a 2-2 record.
The Owls will continue their home stint on Wednesday, Mar. 2 as they face Georgia Tech for the 13th annual Lexi’s Day.