By: KSU Sports Information
DeLAND, Fla. – Kennesaw State faces its biggest test of the season on Friday night when the second-place Owls battle the first place, and No. 25-ranked Stetson Hatters in the first game of the Atlantic Sun Conference’s most anticipated series of the young season.
Kennesaw State (19-12, 8-3 A-Sun), who has been near the top of the conference standings all season, enters the weekend one-half game behind the Hatters for first place in the league and will be meeting Stetson for the first time since the 2009 campaign.
Stetson (22-7, 9-3 A-Sun) enters the series with its pitching rotation in mild disorder. The Hatters will be without their No. 2 starter Lindsey Caughel, and their top starter, Kurt Shulter, will be a game-time decision on Sunday afternoon. Austin Perez will make his first start of the season on Friday night.
“This should be a good series,” said Kennesaw State head coach Mike Sansing. “Both teams are playing well coming in and there is a history of close, competitive games when we play each other.”
The Hatters and the Owls will be meeting for the 13th time, with Stetson holding a 7-5 advantage in the all-time series. But, the Back and Gold have taken two-of-three games from Stetson in each of their last two meetings. The Owls have won three straight games entering the weekend, including a pair of ninth-inning, walk-off victories, including a three-run rally over No. 8-ranked Georgia Tech at Stillwell Stadium on Tuesday night.
After a 20-4 start, the Hatters have lost three of their last five games. A loss in last Friday’s series opener with USC Upstate gave Stetson its first three-game losing streak of the year. The Hatters, however, regrouped and swept last Saturday’s doubleheader from the Spartans to carry a two-game winning streak into this weekend.
Kennesaw State sophomore catcher Ronnie Freeman enters the series with an 8-game hitting streak and has moved up to second in the conference in batting with a .393 mark. Drew Fowlkes is getting back into form after a slow start. The senior designted hitter is 6-for-15 (.400) over his last four games and drove in the game-winning run in Saturday’s walk-off win over Southern Illinois.
Ray Anderson is riding a four-game hitting streak and was Tuesday night’s hero with a walk-off single against Georgia Tech. Anderson is hitting at a .545 clip over the last four games and has had more hits (6) over his last 11 at-bats then he had over his previous 26 plate appearances.
“Ray has been hitting the ball well lately,” added Sansing. “And brings a very distinct dynamic to our lineup, be it as a start, pinch-hitter or late inning replacement.”
Stetson enters the weekend with a trio of hot hitters in Mark Jones, Nick Rickles and Spencer Theriman, all of whom are in the midst of long hitting streaks. Jones, who is third batting at .343, is riding a 10-game hitting streak while Rickles, who is second on the team in batting with a .345 mark, has hit in nine straight games. Theriman, who is hitting just .248, has hit safely in eight consecutive games.
First-pitch between Kennesaw State and Stetson is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. and can be followed via live stats.
Kennesaw State (19-12, 8-3) at Stetson (22-7, 9-3)
Melching Field at Conrad Park
Pitching Match-ups
Friday | 6:30 p.m.
Josh Carr (3-2, 3.07) vs. Austin Perez (1-0, 4.12)
Saturday | 2:00 p.m.
Blough (1-2, 4.14) vs Tucker Donahue (1-2, 4.84)
Sunday | 1:00 p.m.
Zac Griffith (6-1, 4.24) vs Kurt Schulter (5-0, 1.64) or Will Dorsey (3-3, 4.80)
