Box Score Game Box (PDF)
Spartanburg, S.C. – Maddison Kieffer drove in both runs as the 24th-ranked USC Upstate softball team took a 2-1 victory over Kennesaw State Friday afternoon in A-Sun softball action at Cyrill Stadium. The second game of the doubleheader was halted due to rain with Kennesaw State leading 1-0 heading to the top of the third.
The second game of the doubleheader will resume at 3:00 p.m. Saturday afternoon with the third game immediately following.
Upstate held a special presentation honoring pitching coach Rick Pauly, who is retiring at the end of the season to move to Virginia, immediately following the first game. His family, including daughter Sarah Pauly, was on hand for the ceremony. Sarah is the winningest pitcher in the history of the National Profastpitch league and a former All-American at Texas-Corpus Christi.
Upstate improved to 40-5 overall and 19-2 in the A-Sun with the win in game one. It marked the fourth time in the last five years the Spartans have reached 40 wins in a season. Kennesaw State fell to 22-25 overall and 11-11 in the league.
"That was a good win for us," said Upstate head coach Chris Hawkins. "(Amanda) Henderson has always been tough for us to hit against and we gutted one out. It made the day for Rick a little more special."
Upstate threatened in the second inning, but Kennesaw State starter Amanda Henderson got out of the jam. The Spartans put runners on first and second with one out and loaded the bases with two outs. However, Henderson got a strikeout to end the inning and keep the game scoreless.
After two scoreless innings, both teams crossed the plate in the third inning. Kennesaw State jumped on top in the top of the inning. After putting a runner on third with two outs, Natalie Rhodes slapped a single to right center to give the Owls a 1-0 lead. Upstate got the run back in the bottom of the frame. After Kendall Settlemyre singled with one out, Maddison Kieffer drove her in with an RBI double to left center as the game moved to the fourth tied at 1-1.
Upstate again loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth inning, this time with one out. After a strikeout gave the Spartans two outs, Upstate cashed in. Kieffer delivered for the second consecutive inning, this time drawing a walk to give the Spartans a 2-1 lead.
After allowing the manufactured run in the third inning, Shubert shut down the Kennesaw State bats. She scattered just three hits and struck out seven to improve to 17-1 on the year. The win came one day after the freshman learned she was a Top 25 finalist of the NFCA National Freshman of the Year award.
Henderson also went the distance for Kennesaw State. She allowed two runs on five Upstate hits. She struck out seven and fell to 17-9 on the year with the loss.
Just as it had done in the first game, Kennesaw State jumped on top first in game two. The Owls put runners on second and third with one out when Courtney Sutter singled through the left side to open a 1-0 lead. As the teams began to start the third inning, heavy rain began to fall and with the radar showing a massive front behind the rain already falling, the game was halted for the evening and will resume Saturday with the third game of the series immediately following the completion of the second game.
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