KENNESAW STATE VS MERCER
GAMES 19-21 | MARCH 15-17
KENNESAW, Ga. | STILLWELL STADIUM (1,200)
LIVE STATS |
LIVE AUDIO |
TICKETS
THE SERIES:
The Kennesaw State baseball team starts off Atlantic Sun Conference action this weekend in a three-game series as the Owls host cross-state rival Mercer starting on Friday, March 15 at 6 p.m. ET in Stillwell Stadium.
The Owls come into the game at 9-8 overall and 6-5 on their home field while the Bears arrive as one of the top teams in the nation at 14-4, but do hold only one win away from Macon, Ga.
The first 500 fans through the gates on Friday night will receive a free KSU pennant while the first 100 fans that arrive for the 2 p.m. Saturday contest will be given free gold t-shirts. On Sunday, the first 250 attendees will receive green KSU stadium cups with all kids and parents invited to play catch on the field after the game.
THE COVERAGE
AUDIO: Play-by-play will be available from KSUOwls.com with Nathan McCreary and Brandon Scardigli narrating the action from Stillwell Stadium.
LIVE STATS: Statistical updates will be available from KSUOwls.com at the start of the game.
THE OPPONENT
Mercer arrives having more wins than any other team in the A-Sun at 14-4 thanks in large part to the offense having scored a league best 159 runs so far.
The Bears are the best power hitting team in the conference, slugging .476 with 41 doubles, five triples and 20 home runs belted in the 2013 season.
Outfielder Derrick Workman comes into KSU as one of the top hitters in the A-Sun, holding a .439 batting average and a .860 slugging percentage with 15 of his 25 hits going for extra bases.
THE SERIES
Mercer leads the all-time series between the two rivals, 17-13, with the Owls winning three out of the last five.
The last win for KSU came during the last clash between the two schools, winning 6-1 in Kennesaw, Ga. back on April 18, 2012.
THE ROTATION
FRIDAY
Steve Janas (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Brandon Barker (2-0, 1.90 ERA)
SATURDAY
Travis Dean (2-2, 4.74 ERA) vs. Grant Papelian (2-1, 4.92 ERA)
SUNDAY
Kevin Kyle (2-2, 3.09 ERA) vs. D.J. Johnson (3-0, 1.12 ERA)
LAST OUTING
Despite outhitting Auburn University on Tuesday night at Stillwell Stadium, the Kennesaw State baseball team couldn’t bring home the runs as the Owls took the 8-3 loss, splitting the season series with the Tigers.
Sophomore
Jacob Bruce (Woodstock, Ga./Woodstock HS) provided the offensive spark for Kennesaw State (9-8), going 4-for-4 at the plate with three singles and a double. Second baseman
Andy Almonte (Moca, Puerto Rico/Gordon College) was the only other Owl batter with multiple hits, going 2-for-4 with a RBI.
In relief it was Catlin Kendrick (Sharpsburg, Ga./Northgate HS), #
Travis Bergen# (McDonough, Ga./Woodland HS), #
Justin McCalvin# (Leesburg, Ga./Lee County HS) and #
James Connell# (Roswell, Ga./Georgia Perimeter College) who blanked the Tigers in the final three innings, not allowing a hit while striking out three.
NEXT UP
After the three-game outing against the Bears, the Owls will continue their home-stand with a midweek contest against Savannah State this Tuesday, March 19 at 5 p.m. ET.
NEWS AND NOTES
Leading the Way
Centerfielder
Bo Way (Brunswick, Ga./Glynn Academy) continues to lead the Owls with a .369 average and is in the midst of a nine-game hitting streak having hit in all but one game so far this season. Way is tops for the Owls in hits (24) and runs scored (nine) after starting in 18 games for the black and gold.
Simmons in the Clutch
Freshman
Kal Simmons (Nashville, Ga./Berrien HS) has been one of the pleasant surprises for head coach
Mike Sansing this season, driving in 14 runs from the batter’s box so far. Simmons is one of just three Owls to make starts in every game in 2013.
Kyle on the Hill
Lefty
Kevin Kyle (Atlanta, Ga./Georgia Perimeter Coll.) will be getting the Sunday start on the hill for KSU as the senior leads the team in strikeouts with 20 to go 2-2 on the season while holding opponents to a .244 average.
To keep up with the latest Kennesaw State baseball news follow the team on Twitter
@KSUOwlNation and
@KSUOwlsBaseball or by liking Kennesaw State University on Facebook.
Kennesaw State University is celebrating 30 years of intercollegiate athletics during the 2012-13 academic year.
