LADY
BLUE HOSE COME UP SHORT IN UPSET BID OF
TOP SEED KENNESAW STATE 1-0 IN EIGHT INNINGS
KENNESAW, GA - Kennesaw State's Lisa Macki and No. 4-seed Presbyterian's Samantha Slater locked horns for eight innings in a classic pitcher's duel, but it was sophomore catcher Cambria McKay's single up the middle that gave the No. 1-seed Owls a 1-0 win in the 2004 South Atlantic Regional Championships at the Bobbie Bailey Athletic Complex.
Kennesaw State (62-4) took the win after a botched pop fly led to the lone run of the contest. With one out in the bottom of the eighth inning, Kennesaw State's Amy Middleton reached on the error and moved to second base on a ground out. McKay then singled on Slater's first pitch to end the game.
Both pitchers controlled the game from the outset. Slater (15-4) allowed just four singles while striking out four batters and walking just one. Macki (20-1) surrendered three singles and was overpowering in a ten strikeout performance.
Each team rallied early but were shut down by the duo of dominant hurlers. Kennesaw State put runners on first and second with one out in the bottom of the first inning before Slater mowed down McKay and induced Jennifer Nolan into an inning ending groundout.
Macki ran into her lone jam of the day in the next half inning as the Blue Hose (45-12) put runners on first and second courtesy of an error and a walk. The Owls southpaw regrouped and ended the inning with a strikeout and a line drive back to the box.
Kennesaw State will face the winner of Armstrong Atlantic and North Florida on Friday evening at 5:00 PM while Presbyterian will battle Belmont Abbey at 2:30 PM.