KENNESAW STATE (7-6) vs EVANSVILLE (3-7)
DATES: Mar. 8-10
TIME: 5:00 PM, 2:00 PM, 1:00 PM
SITE: Fred Stillwell Stadium
LOCATION: Kennesaw, Ga.
LIVE AUIDO: KSUOwls.com
LIVE STATS: KSUOwls.com
SERIES RECORD: First Meeting
GAME NOTES
KENNESAW, Ga. – The Kennesaw State baseball team (7-6) will open a three game home stand on Friday as they welcome Evansville (3-7) to the Shake. First pitch on Friday is slated for 5 p.m., with the game on Saturday set for 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.
Fans can hear all three games broadcast live on KSU All-Access, with Nathan McCreary and Brandon Scardigli voicing the action. Fans can click on the link at the top of the page or visit KSUOwls.com.
The weekend pitching matchups are scheduled as followed:
Friday: RHP Travis Dean (1-2, 5.07) vs. LHP Cole Isom (0-2, 7.04)
Saturday: LHP Kevin Kyle (1-2, 4.15) vs. LHP Kyle Freeland (2-1, 2.84)
Sunday: LHP Will Solomon (1-1, 4.73) vs. RHP Kyle Lloyd (1-1, 3.18)
OPPONENT: Evansville (3-7) Missouri Valley Conference
The Purple Aces enter Friday’s game after a series win over Milwaukee. Evansville took two out of three, out scoring the Panthers 24-9. Prior to the series Evansville was 1-5 with losses to SEC affiliates Arkansas and Vanderbilt.
Evansville bolsters a .269 team batting average, with 13 extra base hits on the season. The team is 8-of-10 in the stolen base department, while the pitching staff holds a 5.68 ERA.
LAST TIME OUT:
Kennesaw State returned to the win column with a 5-0 shutout over in-state rival Georgia Southern. The Owls snapped a seven game losing streak to the Eagles this past Wednesday as sophomore Steve Janas threw five innings of two-hit baseball to pick up his first win of the season.
The bullpen continued its fantastic work on the season; making Wednesday’s game the third consecutive game the pen has not allowed a run. The staff has a combined ERA of 3.08, holding the opposition to just a .218 batting average.
KSU’s offense came alive as well with nine hits. Seven different Owls registered hits, with Max Pentecost and Bo Way each having two.
MATCHUP HISTORY:
Friday's contest will mark the first time these two programs have squared off.
ANDY ALMONTE NAMED AN ATLANTIC SUN PRE SEASON ALL CONFERENCE SELECTION:
Almonte started all 58 games for the Owls in 2012 while maintaining a .295 batting average. He belted five home runs and tallied 11 doubles while scoring 49 runs and notching 33 RBI. Almonte provided some of his most productive games against the nation’s top teams, going 3-for-5 with two runs, two RBI, and a home run against Georgia Tech and again against USC Upstate batting 4-for-5 with two runs and one RBI.
JUSTIN McCALVIN NAMED TO THE NCBWA NATIONAL STOPPER OF THE YEAR WATCH LIST:
Redshirt sophomore McCalvin was named to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Stopper of the Year Award watch list, which is given to the top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I baseball. McCalvin appeared in 27 games for Kennesaw State (5th in A-Sun) while coming out of the bullpen during his freshman season. He pitched 29.1 and posted a 3.38 ERA. He allowed just 24 hits, including 10 that went for extra bases, while posting a 3-1 record with one save. He struck out 22 batters, and issued only 13 walks as a rookie. This past summer McCalvin was named the Great Lakes' No. 14 prospect after a dominating season, after he allowed only one earned run in 23.2 innings pitched.
HEAD COACH MIKE SANSING RETURNS FOR HIS 22ND SEASON:
Mike Sansing is back for his 22nd season with Kennesaw State and is the winningest head coach in the school's rich baseball history. Over his career with the Black and Gold, Sansing has taken the Owls to six national tournaments, including his guiding Kennesaw State to a pair of national titles, winning the 1994 NAIA title and the 1996 NCAA Division II crown. Sansing bolsters a KSU career record of 822-306.
OWLS IN THE PROS:
A total of 49 former KSU Owls have been drafted and signed Major League Baseball contracts. Since making the move to DI, there have been 16 players drafted, including four in 2012. Last season the Black and Gold saw Ronnie Freeman selected in the fifth round (183 overall) by the Arizona Diamondbacks, followed by Will Howard (22nd – 672), Travis Dean (22nd – 696) and Josh Carr (28th – 874).
In 2009, the Black and Gold has six players selected in the MLB Draft, including the program's highest draft pick in right-handed pitcher Chad Jenkins, who was selected as the No. 20 overall pick in the first round by the Toronto Blue Jays. In addition, in the same draft, pitcher Kyle Heckathorn was selected as a supplemental first round pick of the Milwaukee Brewers. The Owls were one of only two programs including the University of North Carolina to have two players selected in the first round.
Others to be selected since becoming a NCAA Division I member are pitchers Bryan Blough, Ryan Rodebaugh, Justin Edwards, Kenny Faulk, Jason Freeman, Mike Bohan, catcher Jace Whitmer, infielder Tyler Stubblefield (twice) and outfielder Josh Whitaker.
The Owls will play 25 of their remaining 42 games at the friendly confines of Fred Stillwell Stadium. Season tickets are on sale for the full 32-home game schedule at $39, a savings of over $100. Single game tickets are also available for $6 for adults and $4 for youth (ages 3-12). Group tickets for groups of 10 or more are available for advanced purchase, excluding the Auburn (3-12) and Georgia games (4-2) where individual tickets will be $10 for adults and $6 for youth. To order season tickets click here, or contact the KSU Athletic Ticket Office at 770-423-OWLS (6957).
Keep up with Owls baseball all season by following KSU on Twitter
@KSUOwlNation and
@KSUOwlsBaseball, or by liking Kennesaw State Owls on Facebook.
Kennesaw State University is celebrating 30 years of intercollegiate athletics during the 2012-13 academic year.
