By: KSU Sports Information
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CLEARWATER, Fla. – The Kennesaw State Owls compete in their final early-season tournament of 2012, when they play in five games at the USF Under Armour Showcase at the Eddie C. Moore Complex beginning on Friday. They take on Long Island at 4:15 before challenging Fordham at 6:30.
The Owls (11-9, 1-1 Atlantic Sun Conference) have played 16 of their 20 games this season in multi-team tournaments, hosting a pair of them in February. They are most recently coming off of a doubleheader split at Florida Gulf Coast on Wednesday in their first Atlantic Sun Conference games of 2012, dropping the opener, 2-0, before winning the second contest, 3-1. All three of the runs the Owls gave up on Wednesday were unearned, thanks to the solid pitching of starters Amanda Henderson and Jessica Cross and reliever Abbey Mixon, who earned the save in the second game.
After their twin bill on Friday, Scott Whitlock's club will be back in action on Saturday to take on Miami (Ohio) and Syracuse, with game times once again scheduled for 4:15 and 6:30. They wrap the weekend up on Sunday morning, when they face Toledo at 11:15 a.m.
The Owls are 10-3 all-time against teams from the state of New York, but have never faced a program from New York City, which is where Fordham and Long Island are based. They are 5-8 all-time against teams from Ohio. One of those five victories came this season in their first meeting against Miami Ohio, when they blanked them, 2-0, behind the three-hit, shutout pitching of Jessica Cross on Feb. 12, with the Owls playing host to the KSU Classic in Woodstock,
This weekend’s tournament will be the third of four the University of South Florida will host in the early going this season.
Follow, Listen Live: Free, live audio will be available for all five games on KSU All Access, at
www.KSUOwls.com/Showcase. Saturday's games will also have live video streaming, provided by Tampa Live Sports, for a cost of $9.99. Live stats will be available all weekend.
Making Her Mark in Center Field: Natalie Rhodes has started her last seven games in center field after beginning her Owls career at second base, and made her presence felt on Wednesday during the Owls first game at Florida Gulf Coast. Already trailing, 1-0, in the bottom of the fourth, Rhodes made sure it stayed that way by catching a fly ball and then throwing a laser that hopped right on target to home to get the Eagles runner that was trying to tag. The assist was her first of the season in the outfield.
Swanson, Henderson Among A-Sun Leaders: Owls junior Sharon Swanson enters Thursday leading the Atlantic Sun Conference with nine home runs and 20 RBI, while her .414 batting average is currently sixth in the league. Amanda Henderson, for her part, is fourth in the A-Sun with 78 strikeouts and fifth with a 1.67 ERA.
About the Opponents (2012 Record):
Long Island Blackbirds (2-18)
Friday, Mar. 9- 4:15 p.m.
All-Time Series: First-ever Meeting
Key Player: Nichole Toven, INF, Fr.- .229 BA, .448 OBP
Fordham Rams (4-10)
Friday, Mar. 9- 6:30 p.m.
All-Time Series: First-ever Meeting
Key Player: Nicole Callahan, INF, Sr. - .367 BA, .415 OBP
Miami Ohio Redhawks (11-4)
Saturday, Mar. 10- 4:15 p.m.
All-Time Series: Owls Lead, 2-1
Last: 2/12/12- W, 2-0; Woodstock, Ga.
Key Player: Jessica Simpson, P, Sr.- 6-4, 0.75 ERA, 78 SO
Syracuse Orange (9-6)
Saturday, Mar. 10- 6:30 p.m.
All-Time Series: Owls Lead, 1-0
Last: 3/9/08 W, 4-0; Clearwater, Fla.
Key Player: Lisaira Daniels, OF, Sr. - .378 BA, 5 HR, 10 RBI, .472 OBP, 7 SB
Toledo Rockets (4-12)
Sunday, Mar. 11- 11:15 a.m.
All-Time Series: Toledo Leads, 3-0
Last: 3/13/10- L, 6-2; Clearwater, Fla.
Key Player: Lindsey Tobias, Jr., OF .357, 11 RBI,.420 OBP, 5 SB
