By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information Coordinator
KENNESAW, Ga. – Junior Olivia Bennett continued her strong start to the 2015 campaign in Sunday's opener against Dayton, and sophomore Danielle Liberatore threw a gem in the second game against Kennesaw State, but ultimately it wasn't enough as the Tennessee Tech softball team dropped both tilts in day two of the KSU Kickoff Classic.
Dayton (2-2) used a pair of big innings to slide past the Golden Eagles (1-3) 8-3 in the opening tilt, before a Megan Weringa home run proved to be the difference in the second game in a 1-0 loss to Kennesaw State (3-1).
Bennett highlighted the TTU offense in the opener, going 2-for-4 with two runs scored and her second long ball of the season, as the Mentone, Calif. native tallied six hits, scored four runs, and drove in four more over the first three games of the tournament.
In fact, Bennett helped generate the Tech offense early in the clash with Dayton, singling with one down in the top of the first, before coming around to score on a two-run single by sophomore Alyssa Richards that plated junior Sabrie Neeb as well.
Leading 2-0, the Flyers would strike right back in the bottom of the frame, throwing up a crooked number of their own with a four-spot in the first. The inning began with a bang thanks to a Jaclyn Kweder single to start things off, which was then followed by a Natalie Mariano two-run home run that knotted the game up at 2-2.
Five batters later with runners on at second and third and two down, Dayton took the lead on a pass ball that allowed senior Tiffany Ricks to score, before a Katie Ryan RBI single padded the Flyer lead to 4-2.
The Dayton offense wasn't finished, using a three-run bottom of the fourth to create some breathing room. A one-out solo home run by junior Kennedy Haynes started the fourth inning fireworks, while a run-scoring fielder's choice by sophomore Gabrielle Snyder and a Natalie Mariano steal of home capped off the trio of runs that pushed the Flyers to a 7-2 lead.
Snyder and Mariano played a pivotal role at the top of the order for Dayton as the combination of Snyder, Mariano, and leadoff hitter Jaclyn Kweder combined to go 6-for-10 with four runs scored.
Tech would go on to plate one more run on an Olivia Bennett round tripper in the top of the fifth, but the Flyers responded with a run of their own in the bottom of the inning thanks to a Kennedy Haynes RBI single up the middle.
Inside the circle, junior Hannah Weaver (1-1) suffered the loss after the 5-foot-5 righty was unable to make it out of the first inning, being lifted for senior Erica Tuck. Dayton's combined of junior Emily Froment (1-1) and Gabrille Snyder limited Tech to just five hits in the game, with Froment earning the win despite the shaky first inning after tossing three and two-thirds and surrendering just the two first-inning runs.
Pitching took center stage in game two in Tech's matchup with Kennesaw State, with the Owls using a second-inning home run from Megan Veringa as the contest's lone run. TTU's Danielle Liberatore (0-2) would suffer the tough luck loss despite going the distance and allowing only four hits, walking just one, and striking out four in the Peotone, Ill. native's second start of the year.
KSU used a combination of four pitchers to blank the Golden Eagles, with senior Paige Matthews (2-0) earning the win in relief with four scoreless frames in which the 5-foot-10 right-hander surrendered only two hits, punching out four as well. Sophomore Logan Viers recorded her first save of the season after coming into a precarious position with runners on first and second and no one down in the top of the seventh.
Consecutive singles by junior Madison Taylor and senior Christian Gibbs put the tying run in scoring position, but Viers was able to induce senior Angi Sakamoto on a pop up to third, before getting Olivia Bennett on a 6-4-3 double play to end the affair.
Tech will now set its sights on the Georgia Southern Invitational over the weekend, playing twice on Friday, Feb. 13 with matchups against Boston College at 9 a.m. CT and Campbell at 1 p.m., once on Saturday with a 4:30 p.m. showdown with Georgia Southern, and twice on Sunday with tilts against Binghamton at 11 a.m. and Georgia Southern at 1 p.m.
