By: KSU Sports Information Department
KENNESAW, GA. – Kennesaw State continues its six-game homestand on Wednesday with its first-ever day/night doubleheader as the Owls host Harvard at 1:00 p.m. before taking on the Georgia Bulldogs at 6:30 p.m. at Stillwell Stadium.
The Owls (10-7), who are tied for second place in the Atlantic Sun Conference, are struggling as they head into today’s twinbill. The Black and Gold have lost five of their last six games, including a 5-1 defeat to Western Carolina on Tuesday evening, but have a 7-3 record at Stillwell Stadium.
Catlan Kendrick (0-0, 5.14) will take the mound for the Owls in the opener as Kennesaw State plays Harvard for the first time. The Crimson (0-9) are winless this season and have been outscored 44-7 in their last four games. They are in the midst of a 19-game road trip to begin the season.
In the nightcap, the Owls will take on rival Georgia for the ninth time as right-hander Sean Fream (0-1, 11.70) gets his third start of the year. Tonight’s game marks the second straight start for Fream against an SEC team. The steadily improving Fream started against No. 2-ranked Vanderbilt last Wednesday in Nashville.
Georgia (8-8) leads the all-time series with the Owls by a 5-3 margin, but Kennesaw State took an 11-1 decision from the Bulldogs in Athens, Ga. last year. The Owls will have to contend with a surging Georgia squad that went 5-0 last week. The Bulldogs recorded wins over No. 10-ranked UCLA, Southern California and St. Mary’s as CollegeBaseballInsider.com named them the nation’s Team of the Week.
Chase Hawkins (0-1, 5.52) will start for Georgia and make his fourth start of the season. Hawkins has made two starts against Furman, throwing four innings against Furman and allowed two earned runs on five hits in the Bulldogs, 6-4, win. He tossed four and one-third innings on the road, allowing three runs on seven hits in a 3-0 loss. He also started against Alabama and went four and one-third innings and allowed three runs on five hits.
Will Howard brings his 11-game hitting streak into Wednesday’s doubleheader. Howard has the second longest hitting streak on the Owls this season, just two behind Ronnie Freeman, who began the year with a 13-game hitting streak.
Bucky Smith, who had been struggling at the plate this year, broke out of his season-long slump by hitting three doubles against Western Carolina. It is the third time in two years Smith has had three hits in a game and he became the ninth player in KSU history to have three two-baggers in a game.
Both games can be heard
live at www.ksuowls.com with Dave Albert calling the action beginning with the pre-game show 10 minutes prior to first pitch. The games can also be followed on
live stats. The Georgia game is also “Leash the Dawgs Night” with the first 200 fans in attendance receiving a special Kennesaw State dog leash.
