KENNESAW STATE (21-10) AT GEORGIA STATE (22-7)
GAME 32 | MARCH 26, 2015
ATLANTA, Ga. | BOB HECK FIELD
 
GAME NOTES | LIVE STATS | TICKETS | TWITTER
 
THE GAMES:
The Kennesaw State softball team continues its midweek action as the Owls make the short drive down to Atlanta to take on crosstown rival Georgia State on Thursday, March 26. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. ET at Bob Heck Field.
 
THE COVERAGE:
LIVE STATS: Statistical updates will be available from KSUOwls.com for Thursday's game at Georgia State.
TWITTER: Follow the Kennesaw State softball team on Twitter @KSUOwlsSB to receive updates throughout the game.
 
SERIES BREAKDOWN:
Kennesaw State leads, 16-13
Last 5 meetings    
3/25/14        GSU 8-0
3/18/14        GSU 7-5
2/22/14        KSU 7-6
4/2/13          GSU 7-3
3/26/13        GSU 1-0
 
Last Kennesaw State Win         
2/22/14, 7-6, at Kennesaw State
Last Georgia State Win                               
3/26/14, 8-0, at Kennesaw State
 
LAST TIME OUT:
With a doubleheader sweep of Troy on Tuesday (March 24), the Kennesaw State softball team earned its third-straight series victory as the Owls posted wins of 4-0 and 3-1 over the Trojans at Bailey Park. Junior Megan Veringa led the Owl attack and owned a .800 batting average with four hits and three RBI on the day, while the KSU pitching staff combined to hold the Trojans to just one run on seven hits. Sophomore starting pitcher Logan Viers went the entire way in game one to earn the shutout win, allowing just five hits and striking out five in the outing. Senior starter Paige Mathews threw a gem in game two as she did not allow a hit until a one-out solo home run in the top of the seventh inning, before junior Morgan Sikes came in and earned her first save of the season with back-to-back outs in the frame. Mathews allowed just two hits and one earned run in six and a third innings of action, while giving up only one walk and striking out five.
 
NEXT UP:
The Owls will host Jacksonville in an Atlantic Sun Conference three-game series at Bailey Park this weekend. KSU and the Dolphins will play a doubleheader on Saturday, March 28, before the series finale on Sunday, March 29. First pitch for both days is set for 1 p.m. ET. 
 
NEWS AND NOTES:
Three-Straight Series Wins
The Owls have won six of their last seven games, while also earning their third-straight series victory after a sweep of Furman last week and a conference series win with two victories at North Florida over the weekend.
 
10 Games over .500
KSU is now 10 games over .500 for the first time since the 2013 season, when the Owls started the season at 17-3.
 
Kartman Named A-Sun Player of the Week
Junior Hillary Kartman earned her first career A-Sun Player of the Week accolade on Monday after leading the Owls to back-to-back series wins over Furman and UNF last week. Kartman paced the Owls with a .467 batting average on the week, while also totaling seven hits, including a pair of home runs, six RBI, 13 total bases and scoring three runs. She also posted a .867 slugging percentage and a .500 on-base percentage, while starting all five contests. She registered a .833 average with five hits, four RBI and two runs in two games against the Paladins, before providing the game-winning two-run homer in the Owls' crucial 5-3 win over North Florida in Sunday's rubber match.
 
Owls Leading the Way
As a team, the Owls lead the conference and ranks second nationally with 13 triples, while also leading the conference with 21 wins, six saves and fielding double plays with 16. KSU also ranks 16th in the nation in double plays per game at 0.52.
 
A-Sun Statistics
The Owls have given up the second-lowest number of walks in the A-Sun, having only allowed 60 walks on the season, while also ranking second in the league with 377 total bases and third with a .290 batting average, a .455 slugging percentage, 167 runs scored, 150 RBIs and 46 strikeouts looking in overall play.
 
Triples
Senior Natalie Rhodes leads the league and ranks second nationally with six triples on the year, with her 0.21 triples per game also ranking fourth in the NCAA.
 
Super Senior, Part I
Rhodes also ranks in the top 10 in several other categories in the A-Sun, including hits (third, 39), runs scored (sixth, 26), stolen bases (seventh, 11), total bases (ninth, 56) and batting average (10th, .382).
Her 0.21 triples per game also rank fourth in the NCAA.
 
RBIs
Junior Megan Veringa sits in a tie for seventh in the conference with 26 RBIs and has had seven multiple RBI games this season.
 
Stolen Bases
Four Owls have registered eight or more stolen bases this season, with Rhodes and sophomore Taylor Denton leading the way with Rhodes going 11-of-15 so far this season and Denton owning a 11-of-12 mark. Junior Kara Chambers owns a 10-of-12 mark and sophomore Lauren Bennett is 8-of-9 on stolen base attempts.
 
Going Yard
Nine Owls have gone yard on the season, with Kartman leading the way with seven home runs, which sits in a tie for sixth in the A-Sun. Chambers (five), Veringa (five), redshirt-sophomore Courtney Sutter (three) and junior Emily Bishop (two) have also posted multiple homers on the season.
 
Super Senior, Part II
Senior Paige Mathews paces the Owls in the circle and is 10th in the A-Sun with a 2.95 ERA, while also leading the league with three saves, which sits 11th in the NCAA. She also sits sixth with eight wins and 63 strikeouts on the season and is 10th in opposing batting average (.261).
 
No More Walking, Please
Junior Morgan Sikes and sophomore Logan Viers have only allowed nine walks each this season to rank in a tie for first in the A-Sun in that category, with Sikes' 0.98 walks per seven innings ranking 12th in the nation.

To keep up with the latest Kennesaw State softball news follow the team on Twitter @KSUOwlNation and @KSUOwlsSB or by liking Kennesaw State University on Facebook.