By: by Scott Lipsky
Live Stats: Samford
Watch Live (subscription service):
Samford (CBSsports.com College Network)
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.– The Kennesaw State Owls hit the road once again on Tuesday to take on the Bulldogs of Samford in a doubleheader beginning at 5 p.m. EDT.
The Owls (16-12, 2-2 Atlantic Sun Conference) will get a short respite from their conference schedule this week after breaking even during their first weekend of league play, sweeping North Florida on Friday before dropping a pair at Jacksonville on Saturday. They continue with their A-Sun slate this weekend when they host league rivals for the first time in 2011, with Stetson coming to Bailey Park on Saturday and Florida Gulf Coast visiting on Sunday.
Kennesaw State will hope that the hot hitting of sophomores Jensen Hackett and Sharon Swanson. Hackett currently has a team season-high, nine game hitting streak going for the Black and Gold, having driven in four runs during that stretch. Swanson, for her part, and has found her groove at the plate again after a tremendous start to 2011. The Canton, Ga., native went 0-for-18 over the course of five games, her average dropping from .464 to .351 before breaking out recently, going 7-for-18 in the Owls last five games. She enters Tuesday seventh in the conference, hitting at a .359 clip.
A third sophomore, Abbey Meixel, was the anchor in the pitcher’s circle for the Black and Gold during both of their wins over UNF. She came through with five and two-thirds innings of shutout relief in the first game of the doubleheader, striking out nine, and started the next game, coming through with a total of five innings of work in which she allowed just one run on six hits.
The Black and Gold hosted Samford (7-25) for a single game last season, the Owls winning, 1-0, thanks to a two-hit, complete game, shutout performance by Jessica Cross. The Bulldogs are 4-4 over their last eight games after dropping 11 in a row from Feb. 27 to Mar. 17. They are led offensively by junior Robyn Harmon, who is currently batting a team-high .366 and has three home runs to go along with 11 RBI. Senior infielder Amanda Jordan is the main power supply for the Bulldogs, batting .222 with six home runs and 12 RBI. The Owls hold a 4-1 advantage in the all-time series.
Live stats will be available for both games of the doubleheader. Subscribers to the CBS Sports.com College Network will have the opportunity to watch a live stream of the Samford games.
