KENNESAW, Ga. – The North Carolina Central University softball team suffered a pair of opening-day losses at the KSU Kickoff Classic at Bailey Park Friday. Loyola University Chicago first knocked off the Lady Eagles 9-0 in five innings before host Kennesaw State University rallied for a 3-2 walk-off win in the nightcap.
NCCU (0-2) will conclude play in the KSU Kickoff Classic against Murray State University (0-2) on Saturday afternoon at 12:30 p.m.
Loyola Chicago 9, N.C. Central 0 (5 Innings) A pinch-hit, three-run homer by junior Alyssa Mannucci ended a 9-0 win in five innings for Loyola. The victory was the second straight run-rule triumph for the Ramblers (2-0) on the day.
Sophomore shortstop Brooke Wyderski – who led Loyola with 12 home runs and 37 RBI last season – went 2 for 4 with 4 RBI for the triumphant Ramblers.
Loyola opened up the scoring in the third with two consecutive big hits. Sophomore third baseman Jamie O'Brien drove in the first run with a triple to center and then immediately scored on a two-run blast by Wyderski.
The Ramblers scored its final six runs in the fifth, which included a two-run single by Wyderski and the walk-off homer by Mannucci.
Senior pitcher Ashley Rogers held NCCU to just one hit for the complete-game shutout. Rogers (1-0) fanned six Lady Eagles.
Senior
Kayleigh Brueck provided NCCU with its lone hit, a one-out poke up the middle in the top of the fourth. Juniors
Jennifer Allison and
Brianna Hampton were the only other Lady Eagles to reach base by drawing walks.
Senior
London Booker tossed three scoreless innings but took the loss after allowing two big innings. Booker (0-1) did show control with five strikeouts and no walks.
Kennesaw State 3, N.C. Central 2 Junior catcher Courtney Sutter led off the bottom of the seventh with a triple into the right field gap and scored the game-winning run on an error on the relay throw as Kennesaw State (2-0) rallied to defeat NCCU by one run, 3-2.
The Lady Eagles grabbed a one-run lead twice. Junior second baseman
Jenny Tracy knocked in NCCU's first run with a double to center that plated freshman
Janeen Reynolds, who led off the third with her first collegiate hit.
KSU knotted the score in the home half of the third before the Lady Eagles regained a 2-1 edge in the top of the fifth. Sophomore
Danyelle Noland used her speed to supply NCCU with its second go-ahead run. Noland reached on an infield single and eventually stole home on a double steal with Tracy.
However, a throwing error in the bottom of the sixth allowed the Owls to score an unearned equalizer tha set up KSU's walk-off opportunity in the seventh.
Junior
Dominique Wilson had a quality start for the Maroon and Gray, allowing just one earned run in her 6-plus innings of work. Wilson (0-1) tallied four strikeouts.
Both squads had six base knocks, with Reynolds pacing the Lady Eagles with two hits. Reynolds reached base in all three of her plate appearances by drawing a walk as well.
KSU used four pitchers and senior Monica Vickery (1-0) tossed a scoreless seventh inning to earn the win despite only hurling that one inning.
