KENNESAW, Ga. – Jacksonville State's return to ASUN Conference play didn't go as planned on Saturday, when the Gamecocks dropped both games of a doubleheader at Kennesaw State.
The Owls jumped to an early lead and held off JSU in a 6-1 first game and then used a walk-off home run from Taylor Cates to claim the second game, 5-3. It was JSU's first action in the ASUN since 2003, the Gamecocks' final season before starting an 18-year stay in the Ohio Valley Conference that ended last season.
The Gamecocks struck first in game one, grabbing an early lead on a
Megan Fortner RBI double and giving starter
Kat Carter a 1-0 lead.
The Owls answered with a five-run bottom of the first, scoring first on a two-run homer by Taylor Cates. Carter seemed to get out of the inning with a double play off of an Isabella Galloway grounder, but she was called safe at first and set up a two-run double from Kiera Cooper that stretched the lead.
A throwing error on a Madison Miller grounder allowed another run to score and made it a 5-1 lead after one.
Carter settled in from there and limited the Owls to just a run on three hits the rest of the way, but KSU starter Melanie Bennett (7-6) did the same. She allowed just one hit after the three she gave up in the first and grabbed the win after allowing a run on four hits and striking out six.
Carter (8-6) suffered the loss after giving up six runs, five earned, on six hits in six innings in the circle. She struck out eight batters and walked just one.
In the second game of the day, Kennesaw State drew first blood, thanks to a two-run homer from Cheyenne Sales in the home half of the first inning.
The Gamecocks couldn't push anything across until the fourth, despite loading the bases with no outs in the third. In the fourth, singles from
Karsen Mosley and
Chaney Phillips broke up KSU starter Lindsey Kyte's no-hit bid and then
Hannah Buffington ended her shutout bid with a three-run homer.
Buffington battled from an 0-2 count and delivered Kyte's 3-2 pitch over the wall in left center to give the Gamecocks a 3-2 lead.
The Owls threatened in the sixth, getting runners at second and third with one out, but
Savannah Sudduth made a sliding catch in center to grab Kiera Cooper's bloop and the Gamecocks doubled off Brinaya Bailey at third to end the inning and preserve the one-run lead.
The Owls were able to overtake the Gamecocks in the bottom of the seventh, tying the game on Katie Greep's two-out RBI double and winning it on Cates' game winning homer.
Sarah Currie (5-2) suffered the loss after allowing five runs on eight hits in 6 and 2/3 innings in the circle. She struck out three and walked one.
Bennett earned her second win of the day, this one in relief. She gave up one hit in a scoreless seventh inning in the circle after Kyte allowed three runs on four hits in 3 and 1/3 innings. Emily Perrin threw the other 2 and 2/3 innings, surrendering two hits and striking out two.
The Gamecocks and Owls will wrap up the series on Sunday with a single game that will start at 12 p.m. ET.
