Though they were hot on bat, the Georgia Southern softball team could not pull out a victory against Kennesaw State University, 5-4, in a non-conference game Wednesday night.

“We just need to find a few different ways to get some wins out of these tight games,” Head Coach Kim Dean said.

The game was very back and forth during all seven frames. GS answered to an early 2-0 KSU lead with a home run from freshman first baseman Faith Shirley at the bottom of the first to tie the game, her eighth of the season.

An RBI double from senior Macy Coleman put the Eagles up in the second inning, but KSU responded with two more home runs to regain the lead in the fourth.

The last GS scoring run was a triple from junior Mekhia Freeman at the bottom of the fifth, which tied the game at four. Behind a scoreless sixth inning, GS needed a rally for the win. The Owls capped off the game with a triple and a double back to back, to bring in the winning run in the final frame.

Sophomore pitcher Rylee Waldrep and freshman Shelby Barfield took the losses, allowing eleven combined hits.

Now 19-25 and still 5-15 in the conference, the team will travel to South Alabama this weekend for a three games series. Next weekend, they will play rival Georgia State at home in the last series of the season.

“It’s just going to be continuing to play our style of game,” Dean said. “I think that Kennesaw is a really good team to prepare us for those two series.”

Amanda Arnold, The George-Anne Sports Reporter, gasports@georgiasouthern.edu