By: by Scott Lipsky
Live Stats
DeLAND, Fla.- Kennesaw State softball will make its final regular season road trip this weekend when they take on the Stetson Hatters in an Atlantic Sun Conference doubleheader that could have major implications on the conference standings.
The Owls (24-20, 9-5 A-Sun) are poised to lock down a spot in their first-ever Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament in their first year of eligibility after the Kennesaw State athletic program successfully completed the NCAA’s mandatory four-year re-classification program this past summer.
Head Coach Scott Whitlock’s club enters Saturday in second place in the A-Sun standings with six games to go, and a strong finish will put them in great position to finish in the conference’s top six, which puts them in the tournament. They currently lie one game in front of Stetson (28-19, 10-6 A-Sun) in the standings.
Last weekend also took the Black and Gold on the road, as they visited A-Sun opponents USC Upstate and ETSU, going 3-1 on the trip. They are 3-3 on the road in the conference this season, and have gone just 4-8 overall when playing on their opponent’s home field.
Most recently, the Owls split a doubleheader with non-conference rival Georgia Southern, hosting the Eagles at Bailey Park on Tuesday afternoon. They dropped the first contest, 8-6, before taking the second in a tightly contested pitcher’s duel, 2-1. Freshman Abbey Meixel was in the pitcher’s circle in game two, and continued her great play as of late, winning her fourth consecutive decision with a complete game effort in which she allowed just one earned run on five hits while striking out seven.
Fellow newcomer Ashlee Burkett, who is the reigning Atlantic Sun Conference Player of the Week, also made her mark during Tuesday’s doubleheader, going a combined 3-for-7 with an RBI while extending her current hitting streak to seven games.
This weekend’s matchup will be a tale of two different styles of play. The Owls have done a lot of their damage at the plate this season, leading the A-Sun in home runs with 44, while second in slugging percentage (.431) and RBIs (180) and third in runs scored (194). Burkett is second in the conference in batting average at .369 and tied for second with 33 RBIs, while redshirt sophomore Jessica Cross is tied with Burkett in RBIs and is also tied for second in home runs with 10.
Stetson, on the other hand, ranks towards the bottom in many offensive categories, but has been extremely successful defensively this season. They enter Saturday in second place in earned run average (1.65) and third in opposing batting average (.205) and runs allowed (102).
The Hatters swept a doubleheader from Mercer on Thursday and have been led this season by pitcher Amanda Lindsey, both at the plate and on the pitcher’s circle. The senior right-hander has been their ace pitcher in 2010, 20-10 record and an earned run average of 1.15 that is third in the conference. She also leads the Hatters in batting average at a .329 clip, to go along with a team leading eight home runs.
The Owls and Hatters are tied in their all-time series, 3-3. Last season saw the Owls sweep a the doubleheader between the two squads, 2-1 and 3-1. Shortstop Klair Wells, who is one of just two Owls this season to have appeared in all 44 of their games thus far, Cross being the other, hit a home run in the first game last year, collecting a total of two hits during the double dip.
First pitch on Saturday at Patricia Wilson Field in DeLand is scheduled for 1 p.m. Live stats will be available.
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| Coach Whitlock Previews Weekend Series against Stetson |
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