April 4, 2008

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

FT. MYERS, Fla. - Carmen Paez continued her assault on Atlantic Sun Conference pitchers as she smacked a grand slam and drove in eight total runs on the day to help Florida Gulf Coast to a doubleheader sweep of Kennesaw State on Friday afternoon at the FGCU Softball Complex. The Eagles took game one, 8-2, before winning the nightcap, 8-3.

The doubleheader marked the first time the Owls (29-11, 5-3 A-Sun) have lost back-to-back games this season and the first time that KSU has been swept in an A-Sun series since joining the league in 2006.

The Black and Gold jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the third inning of the opener. With a runner on first, Jessica Cross hit her team-leading ninth home run of the season after crushing a 3-1 pitch beyond the centerfield wall.

Meanwhile, KSU starter Brittany Matthews (17-4) seemed to be cruising through the first four innings, allowing a lone single while fanning six Eagle batters to move her season strikeout total to 204.

FGCU (42-10, 10-0) mounted its comeback in the fifth as Roz Tyre led off the frame with a bomb off the scoreboard in left to cut the deficit to 2-1. After getting Courtney Platt to ground out, Matthews struggled to find the strike zone, giving up a walk sandwiched by a pair of singles to load the bases. As if the task of the bases being full with just one out was not daunting enough, the A-Sun best hitter in Paez stepped into the batter's box.

After being careful for the first couple of pitches, the Owls starter left a rise ball up in the zone to which Paez feasted on, sending it deep to left center to clear the bases and put Florida Gulf Coast ahead, 5-2.

The Eagles added three more runs in the sixth when Jessica Gary drove in one with a single down the left field line before Paez plated two more with a rocket to center field.

Rachel Edinger (18-5) picked up the win for FGCU after allowing two runs in the complete-game effort. Matthews suffered the loss after giving up five earned runs on five hits.

The Owls jumped out in front again in the nightcap, scoring a single run in the top of the first. After Amanda Malcom led off the game by flying out to left, Lyndsay McCurry reached base with an infield single. The Black and Gold's centerfielder then stole second and would score on Jacki Warren's double to right center to put KSU ahead 1-0.

The lead was short-lived, however, as the hosts answered with three runs of their own in the bottom half of the frame. Jessica Paez drew a walk followed by her sister, Carmen, continuing her hot day with a single to right field. Cheyenne Jenks strolled to the plate and ripped a Cross offering over the wall in right center to give the Eagles a 3-1 lead.

FGCU added single runs in the second and fourth to take a 5-1 advantage before the Owls scored their second run on an error by the centerfielder in the fifth inning.

Carmen Paez drove home two more in the sixth inning and Jenks notched her fifth RBI of the second game on a sacrifice fly to put the game out of reach. The eldest Paez finished the twinbill going 4-for-6 with eight RBI, while Jenks was 2-for-7 with five runs driven in.

Cross (4-2) took the loss in her worst outing of the season after being tagged for eight hits and eight earned runs in six innings of work. Morgan Campen (12-2) picked up the win after giving up two earned runs but striking out six Kennesaw State batters, while going the distance.

McCurry led the Owls from the plate, going 4-for-7 and a perfect 2-of-2 in stolen bases. KSU batted just .186 on the day while allowing the Eagles to hit .327 in the two-game set.

The Owls will close out their roadtrip when they take on Stetson on Sunday afternoon. First pitch in DeLand is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.