By: KSU Sports Information Department
KENNESAW, Ga. – Fresh of its second-highest scoring game of the season, Kennesaw State begins the second half of the Atlantic Sun Conference schedule this weekend when it hosts the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles in a crucial three-game series at Stillwell Stadium.
The Owls (20-16, 8-6 A-Sun) are looking to snap a four-game, conference, losing streak against a Florida Gulf Coast team that has won six of the nine all-time meetings with the Owls. Kennesaw State is currently fourth in the conference and leads FGCU, in sixth place, by a one-half game in the standings.
Kennesaw State defeated Jacksonville State, 14-6, on Wednesday evening at Stillwell Stadium, snapping a four-game skid. The Owls will look to win back-to-back games for the first time since Apr. 2-5 when they took the final two games of a three-game series against Southern Illinois before defeating No. 8-ranked Georgia Tech.
Florida Gulf Coast (17-16, 8-7 A-Sun) enters the series having won three of its last four games, including a two-game sweep of Bethune-Cookman. Since a three-game sweep of Campbell a month ago, the Eagles have lost their last two conference series, dropping two-of-three games to USC Upstate and at ETSU.
Josh Carr (3-3, 3.04) will get the start on Friday night for the Owls as the right-hander looks to snap a two-game slide. Carr’s last win came on Mar. 25 when he defeated Mercer, 5-3, in Macon. Since then, the junior has pitched well, allowing just five earned runs in his last two starts.
Right-hander Austin Gaines (2-1, 2.52), will make the first start of his career for the Eagles. The senior has appeared in 10 games this season and has one save to his credit. He has worked 25 innings and is holding opposing hitters to a slender .189 mark.
The Owls offense showed their potency on Wednesday when, for the second time this season, they hit a double, triple and home run in the same game. On Mar. 16, the Owls hit for a team cycle against Harvard. The eight extra-base hits in the game was also a season high for the Black and Gold, and the six doubles marks the fourth time this season the Owls have had half dozen doubles in a game.
Power wielding first baseman Andy Chriscaden hit his ninth home run of the season in Wednesday’s win and increased his A-Sun leading RBI total to 43, which is two ahead of Mercer’s Thomas Carroll and Jacob Tanis. The junior’s home run total is second in the conference to ETSU’s Bo Reeder. Chriscaden is also second in doubles with 15, trailing only teammate Ronnie Freeman and his 16 two-baggers.
Freeman continues to lead the Owls in hitting and is among the league-leaders in batting with a .360 average. The sophomore has reached base in each of his last 13 games and has failed to reach base only three times in 36 games this year.
Ray Anderson is now a fixture in the top of the Owls lineup as the speedy centerfielder carries a nine-game hitting streak into this weekend. The redshirt sophomore, who has started six of the last eight games, is 12-for-26 (.462) during the stretch and has raised his average over .100 points to .327, his highest average this season.
Florida Gulf Coast’s offense is led by first baseman Zach Maxfield. The senior leads the Eagles in every major offensive category and is fourth in the conference with a .386 average. He is also ranked in the top 10 in the A-Sun in hits (51), doubles (13), home runs (7), RBI, (36) and on Wednesday he tied the FGCU career record with his 47th double.
The first game of the three-game series has been changed to a 2:00 p.m. start due to weather concerns. All three games can be followed via live stats.
