Kennesaw, Ga. – In an old rivalry between USC Upstate and Kennesaw State, seven innings was not enough in either game. After taking a 3-2 loss in nine innings in game one, Upstate had a runner on second with one out in the eighth inning and the score tied at 4-4 in game two when lightning and rain caused the game to be suspended. It will be completed Sunday afternoon at 1:00 at Bailey Park.
Upstate stands 34-11 overall and 6-7 in the A-Sun with the loss. The Spartans will travel to Macon, Ga., to take on Mercer Saturday afternoon, then return to Kennesaw to complete the second game with the Owls on Sunday.
In game one, the game went to nine innings before Kennesaw State took a 3-2 win, plating an unearned run in the bottom of the ninth.
Upstate opened a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Kim Brasil (Mississauga, Ontario) stole home on an attempted double steal. Kennesaw State tied the game on Sharon Swanson's RBI single in the bottom of the first. Upstate regained the lead when Brasil scored on Lauren Quevedo's (Wellington, Fla.) RBI single in the third as the Spartans took a 2-1 lead.
Kennesaw State fought back to tie the game again on Brittany Moore's solo home run in the fourth. For the next four innings, Upstate starter Morgan Childers (Kings Mountain, N.C.) and Kennesaw State starter Jessica Cross kept each other off the scoreboard. The Spartans put runners on first and second with one out in the seventh, but couldn't advance the runners. The Owls loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth, but Childers shut them down.
In the bottom of the ninth, Ashlee Burkett reached on an error and advanced to third on the play. Cross then came up and hit a single to right center to score Burkett with the game-winning run.
Childers went the distance and allowed three runs, only one of which was earned, on 10 hits. She fell to 24-7 on the year. Cross improved to 10-6 after allowing two runs on five hits. Lindsay Kelly (Jacksonville, Fla.) led Upstate at the plate with two hits, while Brasil scored both of Upstate's runs.
In the second game, Upstate jumped on top in the first inning when Quevedo doubled to drive in Ericka Harris (Piedmont, S.C.). Upstate made it a 2-0 game when Katie Zauner (Canby, Ore.) drove in Kelly with a single in the third.
Kennesaw State cracked the scoreboard on Burkett's solo home run in the bottom of the third inning. The Owls then scored three unearned runs in the fifth inning. The Owls loaded the bases and Bianca Durant followed with a double that cleared the bases.
Upstate battled back to tie the game at 4-4 with a pair of runs in the sixth. Zauner and Quevedo each singled to start the inning and Ashley Butler (Laurens, S.C.) drove in two runs with a single later in the frame.
The game headed to extra innings and Upstate continued to battle. With one out, Quevedo doubled to right center. However, lightning was detected in the immediate area and the game was halted. Heavy rain began to fall and the game was called for the day.
Quevedo is in the midst of a strong game. She has three hits, including two doubles. Upstate starter Hannah Alexander went five innings. She was replaced by Childers after putting two batters on base to start the sixth. Childers recorded an out and with runners on second and third, pitched out of the jam.
The game will resume with Quevedo on second with one out and Jenna Torbert due up.
