By: by Jason Hanes
KENNESAW, Ga. - Kennesaw State's baseball team will look to win its second Atlantic Sun Conference series of the season this weekend as it travels to Nashville to take on Lipscomb in a three-game set at Dugan Field. First pitch in Friday's contest is set for 6 p.m. CDT, while Saturday's doubleheader is slated for a 1 p.m. CDT start.
The Owls (13-18, 4-5) have won four out of their last six contests after taking a pair from Belmont in Kennesaw to win their first A-Sun series of the season. Ronnie Freeman, who led the Owls to a 3-1 record last week, was named A-Sun Player of the Week for his efforts, hitting home runs in each of the three games of the series. Ryan Rodebaugh (2-3), who will get the call in Friday night's contest, pitched seven solid innings last Friday to spark the Owls on the mound to victory.
KSU last played Tuesday night, falling to No. 2 Georgia Tech, 8-2. In that game, Drew Fowlkes connected for his sixth home run of the season, tying Freeman and Tyler Stubblefield for the team lead. Fowlkes has now gone deep in three straight contests and has the longest hitting streak on the team at six games.
Lipscomb enters the series with a 10-20 overall record and a 2-4 mark in the A-Sun. The Bisons last played in a home-and-home series with Tennessee Tech, falling 15-14 at home and 12-8 on the road. Cory Hale's eight home runs and 32 RBIs help pace the Bisons offensively.
The Owls are 9-3 all-time against the Bisons, with all three losses coming in Nashville. The last time the two teams met, Kennesaw State had one of the most dominant pitching performances in staff history as members of Division I, allowing Lipscomb to score just three runs in a three-game sweep. Josh Smith, who allowed just two runs to the Owls in a 2-0 loss in the second game of last season's series, will battle Rodebaugh in the opener Friday night.
All three games are scheduled to appear on
ASun.TV, with live stats available via LipscombSports.com.
