KENNESAW STATE (21-11, 2-4) VS JACKSONVILLE (18-16, 1-2)
GAMES 33-35 | MARCH 28-29, 2015
KENNESAW, Ga. | BAILEY PARK (600)
 
GAME NOTES | LIVE STATS | PROMOTIONS | TWITTER
 
THE GAMES:
After a week full of nonconference action, the Kennesaw State softball team returns to Atlantic Sun Conference play and will host Jacksonville in a 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. 
 
THE COVERAGE:
LIVE STATS: Statistical updates will be available from KSUOwls.com for all three games this weekend at Bailey Park.
TWITTER: Follow the Kennesaw State softball team on Twitter @KSUOwlsSB to receive updates throughout the game.
 
SERIES BREAKDOWN:
Kennesaw State leads, 12-9
Last 5 meetings    
3/31/14       JU 4-3
3/30/14       JU 4-3 (8INN)
3/30/14       KSU 8-3
4/21/13       KSU 4-3
4/20/13       KSU 1-0
 
Last Kennesaw State Win         
3/30/14, 8-3, at Jacksonville
Last Jacksonville Win                                  
3/31/14, 4-3, at Jacksonville
 
LAST TIME OUT:
The Kennesaw State softball team dropped an 11-3 decision to crosstown rival Georgia State in six innings on Thursday night (March 26) at the Bob Heck Softball Complex. Freshman Noelle Winkles led the Owls with a 1-of-2 effort with a run and an RBI.
 
NEXT UP:
The Owls will wrap their four-game homestand as they welcome in crosstown rival Georgia Tech on Wednesday, April 1 for Lexi's Day at Bailey Park. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. ET.
 
NEWS AND NOTES:
Owls in the Rankings, Part I
As a team, the Owls lead the conference and ranks third nationally with 13 triples, while also leading the conference with six saves and fielding double plays with 16. KSU also ranks 17th in the nation in double plays per game at 0.50.
 
Owls in the Rankings, Part II
The Owls rank second in the league with 21 wins and 383 total bases, while allowing the third-lowest number of walk with 68 on the season. KSU also ranks third with a .288 batting average, a .451 slugging percentage, 170 runs scored, 152 RBIs and 48 strikeouts looking in overall play.
 
Triples
Senior Natalie Rhodes leads the league and ranks second nationally with six triples on the year, with her 0.19 triples per game also ranking sixth in the NCAA.
 
Super Senior
Rhodes also ranks in the top 10 in several other categories in the A-Sun, including hits (t-fourth, 40), runs scored (sixth, 26), stolen bases (t-seventh, 11), total bases (eighth, 57) and batting average (ninth, .381).
 
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.
 
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.
 
Homers
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.
 
Mathews in the Circle
Senior Paige Mathews paces the Owls in the circle and is ninth in the A-Sun with a 3.14 ERA, while also leading the league with three saves, which sits 12th in the NCAA. She also sits sixth with eight wins and 64 strikeouts on the season and is 10th in opposing batting average (.263).
 
Walks
Junior Morgan Sikes and sophomore Logan Viers have only allowed 11 walks each this season to rank in a tie for first in the A-Sun in that category, with Sikes' 1.15 walks per seven innings ranking 21st 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.