By: KSU Sports Information Department
KENNESAW, Ga. – Kennesaw State will host Georgia Southern on Wednesday afternoon as they look to begin the remainder of, what was to be, a five-game homestand. The Owls game against Mercer on Monday was rained out, and with rain in the forecast for this afternoon and evening, the game time has been moved up two hours to a 4:00 p.m. first pitch.
Kennesaw State (24-19) enters the game having won four of it last six contests, including taking two of three games from ETSU in Johnson City, Tenn. over the weekend. The Owls have enjoyed recent success in non-conference games, winning two straight and six of their last eight.
Georgia Southern (24-16), who defeated the Owls earlier in the season for one of its four mid-week wins, has won four of its last five games, including taking two of three games from Elon. The Eagles have not played a non-conference game since Apr. 13, when they dropped a 7-3 decision to North Florida. Georgia Southern is 2-4 against Atlantic Sun Conference teams this season.
The Owls will start junior right-hander Sean Fream (1-3, 5.66), who is making his fifth start of the year. It is Fream’s second start since Mar. 23, when he threw seven innings against Georgia State. Five of his last six appearances have come out of the bullpen, with his last start coming on Apr. 12 at UAB, where he allowed two earned runs in five and two-third innings.
Freshman Will Middour (2-1, 6.38) will make his fourth start of the season for the Eagles. The right-hander last won on Apr. 3 when he pitched two-thirds of an inning in an 11-9 win over The Citadel. His other victory came as a starter in an 18-0 win over George Washington, in which he allowed four hits in five and one-third scoreless innings.
Aaron Dobbs continues his hot hitting as he enters the game on a 9-for-14 streak, including triples in three straight games. Dobbs had just one triple in his first 34 games, but has five in his last eight games. The junior left fielder has hit safely in four straight games, and seven of his last eight, raising his bating average .36 points over the last two weeks.
Much of the reason for the Owls recent success has come from the consistent offense at the top of the lineup. Each of the top six hitters in the batting order have hitting streaks of four or more games, including leadoff hitter Sean McClurken, who has hit in seven straight games.
McClurken, who is hitting .444 during the streak, has four two-hit games over the stretch. The senior second baseman had a streak of three straight two-hit games against three different opponents. He went 2-for-4 in the series finale against FGCU before going 2-for-3 with a season-high three RBI at Georgia State and finished with a 2-for-4 night in the series opener at ETSU.
Ronnie Freeman, Andy Chriscaden and Peyton Hart have all hit in five consecutive games while third baseman Ethan Herron carries a four-game hitting streak. The six have combined to hit .409 during their streaks with all posting a .300 or higher batting average.
Georgia Southern enters the game with the Southern Conference’s most prolific offense. The Eagles lead the SoCon with a .305 average and are at the top of the conference with 434 hits. Victor Roache heads the attack with an NCAA-leading 19 home runs, half of the Eagles team total. Eric Phillips leads the Eagles with a .420 average and tops the SoCon with a .500 on-base percentage and 66 hits.
Kennesaw State begins its longest break of the season after tonight's game as they are off this weekend and will not play until Friday, May 6 when they begin a crucial two-day, three-game series with USC Upstate. Friday night’s game is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. and the series concludes with a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon beginning at 1:00 p.m.
The game between the Owls and the Eagles can be followed via
live stats and can also be heard
live at www.ksuowls.com with Dave Albert calling the action, beginning at 3:55 with the pregame show.
