By: by Jason Hanes
KENNESAW, Ga. - Kennesaw State's push to make the Atlantic Sun Conference Championships continues this weekend as the Owls will travel to Spartanburg, S.C. to take on USC Upstate in a three-game set. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. Friday night from Harley Park on the Upstate campus.
The Owls (20-28, 9-12) enter the weekend needing to take care of business on their end and hope for help from other teams. Ryan Rodebaugh (4-5, 4.61) is scheduled to get the start for the Owls this Friday night in the opener of the series. The junior has won three decisions in A-Sun play so far with an ERA of 4.12.
Ronnie Freeman, on a 22-game hitting streak, leads the Owls in batting average both in all games and in A-Sun games. The freshman is hitting .372 against A-Sun foes with seven home runs and 25 RBIs.
KSU and Upstate have played 43 times in the past, with the Owls dominating to the tune of a 35-8 all-time record in the series. The Spartans, however, have won a game from the Owls in each of the last two seasons since joining Division I. This year, Upstate has struggled at times, posting a 6-18 A-Sun record and a 16-35 overall mark. The only common non-conference opponent between the two schools this season is Georgia State. The Owls split their home-and-home series with the Panthers, while Upstate took both games of its home-and-home with Georgia State.
KSU currently trails Jacksonville by 2.5 games in the A-Sun standings for the sixth and final slot in the tournament. The Dolphins (11-9 A-Sun) will play host to Florida Gulf Coast (20-4 A-Sun) this weekend, with the Eagles trying to lock down their third straight A-Sun Regular Season Championship.
With a 12-9 A-Sun record, Mercer is three full games ahead of the Owls. This weekend, the Bears will be in Nashville this weekend to face a desperate Lipscomb team, which is on the verge of not making the tournament that it will ultimately host May 25-29. The Bisons are 7-13 in the A-Sun and will need more help than anyone if they are to make the championship field.
Stetson is 12-9 in A-Sun play, tied with the Bears in the standings. This weekend, the Hatters will host North Florida (12-8 A-Sun). The Owls did not play Stetson this year, so there is no head-to-head tiebreaker between the two schools.
All three games of the series are scheduled to be offered by
ASun.TV.
