By: by Scott Lipsky
Lipscomb (Thursday, 6 p.m. EDT):
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Belmont (Friday, 2 p.m. EDT): Live Stats Game Notes
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Kennesaw State Owls begin their six-game road swing to wrap up 2011 Atlantic Sun Conference play Thursday and Friday, when they take on the Lipscomb Bisons and Belmont Bruins for a pair of doubleheaders in the Music City. They take on Lipscomb on Thursday at 6 p.m. EDT and Belmont Friday at 2 p.m. EDT.
The Owls (26-20, 8-6 A-Sun) enter Thursday in a virtual tie with USC Upstate and Campbell for the number three seed in the upcoming Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament. They went 3-1 last weekend in A-Sun play, their last games at Bailey Park this season, splitting with Upstate and sweeping East Tennessee State on Saturday. Their doubleheader with Upstate began on Friday and ended on Sunday, due to inclement weather.
The Black and Gold, who went 5-2 overall this past week, have started to be more consistent offensively over the last week and a half, averaging 5.8 runs and 11 hits over their last nine games, a sharp improvement over the 2.1 runs and 4.1 in the seven games prior to that, accruing a 2-5 record during that stretch. The beginning of their recent surge at the plate came in their last road A-Sun series at Campbell on Apr. 9, when they exploded in the opener of the doubleheader for 17 runs, the most they have ever scored in an A-Sun game. They combined for 15 runs on 20 hits on Saturday against ETSU, Brittany Moore notching a pair of hits and an RBI in each game, while Sara Sikes went 4-for-4 with a pair of RBI in the opener.
On top of their hot hitting, junior Jessica Cross has provided some impressive work in the pitcher’s circle as of late. She accounted for all three wins in last weekend’s conference contests, going the distance in a nine-inning, 3-2, win over Upstate in the opener on Friday, outlasting Morgan Childers, the leader in wins in NCAA Division I. She would save her best outing for Saturday, however, tossing her first career no-hitter in an 8-0 rout of ETSU before coming on in relief to help the Owls to victory in the second game. Her solid performances led to her being named the A-Sun Pitcher of the Week, the second time in her career that she has won that award.
A Look at Lipscomb- Thursday, 6 p.m. EDT, Draper Diamond
In Lipscomb (23-17, 10-4 A-Sun), the Owls find an opponent that currently stands two games ahead of them for the number two seed in the A-Sun Tournament. The losers of three of their last four games, the Bisons have had a Jekyll and Hyde aspect to their results recently. They went 4-0 at home in conference play two weekends ago, handing A-Sun leader Jacksonville their only two league losses thus far before sweeping North Florida the next day. Things didn’t fare as well for the Bisons, however, on the road, this past weekend, as they were swept by Florida Gulf Coast last Thursday before splitting with Stetson on Saturday to come back to the pack a bit.
The Bisons are led in the pitcher’s circle by junior pitcher Whitney Kiihnl, the 2010 A-Sun Player of the Year. She has been at it again for the defending A-Sun regular season and tournament champions, pitching the to the tune of a 1.88 earned run average, good for a 16-9 record and for sixth in the A-Sun. At the plate, their major run producer is junior infielder Mollie Mitchell, who despite her .243 batting average has hit eight home runs and collected 36 RBI this season. Outfielders Caroline Mason and Breanna Thurman have also been dangerous at the plate, hitting .318 and .313, respectively, while Mason is tied with Mitchell for the team with eight home runs.
The Owls hold a slim, 6-5, lead over the Bisons in the team’s all-time series, which began with the Owls entrance into the A-Sun in 2006. The two squads met three times last season, with the teams splitting the regular season doubleheader held at Bailey Park before the Bisons defeated the Owls, 8-0, in the A-Sun Tournament. They are 5-1 at Lipscomb in their all-time series.
A Look at Belmont- Friday, 2 p.m. EDT, E.S. Rose Park
The Bruins (10-33, 3-11 A-Sun) most recently dropped a pair of games to Tennessee-Martin at home on Tuesday. Their last foray into conference action resulted in a 2-2 weekend on the road, first splitting with Stetson on Thurs., Apr. 14, before splitting a pair with FGCU, who is currently second in the A-Sun standings.
Belmont is led offensively by junior Ashley Byers, who is currently batting .271 and is tied for fifth in the A-Sun with nine home runs, to go along with 28 RBI. In the pitcher’s circle, sophomore Devon Schmidt, a 2010 A-Sun All Freshman selection, leads the way, sporting a 3.22 ERA despite her 8-16 record.
Kennesaw State leads the all-time series against the Bruins, 6-4, having swept their doubleheader at Bailey Park last season, 7-5 and 2-0. The Owls Sharon Swanson drove in a pair of runs in the first game to help them to victory, while Abbey Meixel tossed a five-hit shutout in the second game to seal the sweep for the Black and Gold. The Owls have struggled slightly at Belmont, coming into Friday with a 2-4 all-time record there.
Live stats will be available for all of the action.
