KENNESAW STATE (23-12) VS GEORGIA TECH (12-23)
GAME 36 | APRIL 1, 2015
KENNESAW, Ga. | BAILEY PARK (600)
 
GAME NOTES | LIVE STATS | LIVE AUDIO | PROMOTIONS | TWITTER
 
THE GAMES:
The Kennesaw State softball team is set to host its eighth annual Lexi's Day at Bailey Park on Wednesday, April 1 as the Owls close out a six-game home stand with a 6 p.m. ET contest against crosstown rival Georgia Tech.
 
LEXI'S DAY:
Lexi's Day is an event to raise funds and awareness for the Alexis Kaiser Foundation, which was established to help Alexi Kaiser and other children with exceptional needs. The foundation is named in honor of Lexi Kaiser, a 10-year old girl who lives with Cerebral Palsy and is a special member of the Owl softball family. Lexi will present a specially-made bike to another child with exceptional needs prior to first-pitch, with all meal ticket profits and donations from the day going to the Lexi Kaiser Foundation.
 
Prior to the game, the Marietta Fish Market will be providing a pre-game meal for 150 fans at 5 p.m. inside the Bailey Athletic Complex. Tickets will be also sold at the door for $10 if still available.
 
THE COVERAGE:
LIVE STATS: Statistical updates will be available from KSUOwls.com for Wednesday's game at Bailey Park.
LIVE AUDIO: Live audio of Wednesday's game against Georgia Tech will be available via KSUOwls.com with Matt Cason on the call.
TWITTER: Follow the Kennesaw State softball team on Twitter @KSUOwlsSB to receive updates throughout the game.
 
SERIES BREAKDOWN:
Georgia Tech leads, 17-13
Last 5 meetings    
4/23/14       GT 8-0
3/26/14       KSU 8-3
4/24/13       KSU 9-8
3/27/13        GT 17-3
4/4/12         GT 6-3
 
Last Kennesaw State Win         
3/26/14, 8-3, at Kennesaw State
Last Georgia Tech Win                                
4/23/14, 8-0, at Georgia Tech
 
LAST TIME OUT:
The Kennesaw State softball team earned its second-straight Atlantic Sun Conference series win with a pair of victories over Jacksonville at Bailey Park over the weekend. The Owls split its Saturday doubleheader with the Dolphins,   falling in game one, 3-1, before rebounding to take a 7-6 victory in game two. Junior Missy Perkowski led the KSU attack on Saturday as she registered a .800 batting average after going 4-of-5 with two RBI on the day, while junior Hillary Kartman totaled three RBI, two hits and two runs for the Owls. KSU then put together a thrilling seven-run rally in the bottom of the sixth inning to erase a five-run deficit and earn a dramatic 9-8 come-from-behind win on Sunday as junior Megan Veringa led KSU with four RBIs, two hits and two runs scored.
 
NEXT UP:
The Owls next head south for a three-game conference series at Stetson, starting with a doubleheader on Friday (April 3) at 12 p.m. ET, before wrapping the series with a 1 p.m. contest on Saturday (April 4) at Patricia Wilson Field.
 
NEWS AND NOTES:
Winning Ways
The Owls have won eight of their last 11 games, while also earning four series victories out of the last five series with series wins over Furman, North Florida, Troy and Jacksonville. 
 
A-Sun Leaders
As a team, the Owls lead the conference and ranks sixth nationally with 13 triples, while also leading the conference with seven saves and fielding double plays with 17. KSU also ranks 16th in the nation in double plays per game at 0.49.
 
Tops in A-Sun Stats
The Owls rank second in the league with 23 wins, 432 total bases and 57 batters struck out looking, while allowing the third-lowest number of walk with 78 on the season. KSU also ranks third with a .298 batting average, a .466 slugging percentage, 187 runs scored, 277 hits, 167 RBIs and 42 doubles in overall play.
 
Triples
Senior Natalie Rhodes leads the league and ranks second nationally with six triples on the year, with her 0.17 triples per game also ranking seventh 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, 45), runs scored (ffth, 29), batting average (sixth, .398), stolen bases (t-sixth, 12), total bases (t-sixth, 64) and slugging percentage (10th, .457).
 
RBIs
Junior Megan Veringa sits seventh in the conference with 30 RBIs and has had eight multiple RBI games this season, while classmate Hillary Kartman is tied for ninth with 28 RBIs on the year.
 
Stolen Bases
Four Owls have registered nine or more stolen bases this season with Rhodes leading the way with a 12-of-16 mark, while sophomore Taylor Denton has gone 11-of-13 on stolen base attempts. Junior Kara Chambers owns a 11-of-14 mark and sophomore Lauren Bennett is 9-of-11 on stolen base attempts.
 
Going Yard
Nine Owls have gone yard on the season, with Kartman leading the way with eight home runs, which sits in a tie for sixth in the A-Sun. Veringa (six), Chambers (five), redshirt-sophomore Courtney Sutter (four) and junior Emily Bishop (two) have also posted multiple homers on the season.
 
Sacrifices
Redshirt-sophomore Courtney Sutter owns three sacrifice flies on the season to rank in a tie for third in the league and is 29th in the nation, while junior Missy Perkowski is tied for second in the A-Sun with six sacrifice bunts on the year.
 
Saves
Senior Paige Mathews leads the league and ranks fifth in the nation with four saves on the year. Sophomore Logan Viers also has two saves this season, which ranks second in the A-Sun and 43rd in the NCAA.
 
Super Senior, Part II
Mathews paces the Owls in the circle and is seventh in the A-Sun with a 3.07 ERA, while ranking third with 26 appearances this season. She also sits fifth with nine wins, sixth with 73 strikeouts on the season, eighth with 89.0 innings pitched and is ninth with an opposing batting average of .263.
 
Walks, Part II
Viers has given up just 11 walks on the season to lead the A-Sun, while  junior Morgan Sikes has only allowed 12 walks this season to rank second in the conference, with her 1.13 walks allowed per seven innings ranking 14 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.