KENNESAW STATE (31-14, 12-5) AT LIPSCOMB (23-23, 8-6)
GAMES 46-48 | APRIL 25-26, 2015
NASHVILLE, Tenn. | DRAPER DIAMOND
 
GAME NOTES | LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO | TWITTER
 
THE GAMES:
The Kennesaw State softball team looks to wrap up the regular season on a high note when the Owls travel to Nashville, Tenn., for their final Atlantic Sun Conference series of the season at Lipscomb. The Owls and the Bisons will play a doubleheader on Saturday (April 25) at 5 p.m. ET, before wrapping up the 2015 season with a single game at 3 p.m. on Sunday (April 26).
 
With a pair of wins over FGCU last weekend, the Owls clinched a spot in the 2015 A-Sun Softball Championship and need just two wins over the Bisons this weekend to clinch the No. 2 seed in the tournament.  
 
THE COVERAGE:
LIVE STATS: Statistical updates will be available from KSUOwls.com for Saturday's doubleheader at Bailey Park.
LIVE VIDEO: Live video of this weekend's series at Lipscomb will be available via ASun.TV.
TWITTER: Follow the Kennesaw State softball team on Twitter @KSUOwlsSB to receive updates throughout the game.
 
SERIES BREAKDOWN:
Series Tied, 11-11
Last 5 meetings    
3/23/14        KSU 8-7
3/22/14        LIP 5-0
3/22/14        LIP 2-0
5/8/13          LIP 5-4
3/17/13        KSU 2-0
 
Last Kennesaw State Win         
3/23/14, 8-7, at Kennesaw State
Last Lipscomb Win                                      
3/22/14, 5-0, at Kennesaw State
 
LAST TIME OUT:
The Kennesaw State softball team pushed its Atlantic Sun Conference win streak to 10 games as KSU earned its fifth-straight conference series win with a doubleheader sweep of Florida Gulf Coast to celebrate Senior Day on Saturday (April 18) at Bailey Park. The Owls first picked up a dramatic 11-9 nine-inning, come-from behind victory, before closing out the day with a 5-3 win in game two. Prior to the day's first game, the Owls honor seniors Natalie Rhodes and Paige Mathews for their contributions to the Kennesaw State softball program. Rhodes made most of her senior day as she paced the Owls with a .600 batting average between the two games, collecting six hits and four runs, while redshirt-sophomore Courtney Sutter went 5-of-9 with two doubles, four RBI and three runs. 
 
NEXT UP:
With the regular season wrapping up this weekend, the Owls will have a week off before heading south to Fort Myers, Fla., for the 2015 Atlantic Sun Conference Softball Championship, held at the FGCU Softball Complex on May 6-9.
 
NEWS AND NOTES:
Owls in the RPI
In the latest NCAA softball RPI rankings, the Owls came in as No. 65 and are the second-highest team from the Atlantic Sun Conference after USC Upstate at No. 38.
 
Owls Soaring
The Owls have won 16 of their last 21 games and 10-straight in league play, while also earning seven series victories out of the last eight - including five-straight in A-Sun action - with wins over Furman, North Florida, Troy, Jacksonville, Stetson, Northern Kentucky and Florida Gulf Coast.
 
A-Sun Leaders
As a team, the Owls lead the conference with 15 triples, eight saves and fielding double plays with 22. KSU also ranks ninth in the nation with 0.33 triples per game and 17th in double plays per game at 0.49.
 
Owls in League Team Stats
The Owls rank second in the league with 31 wins, a .312 batting average, a .481 slugging percentage, 387 hits, 257 runs, 230 RBIs, 598 total bases, 64 doubles and have allowed the second-lowest number of walks on the season with 97. 
 
Triples Leader
Senior Natalie Rhodes leads the league and ranks second nationally with eight triples on the year, with her 0.18 triples per game also ranking third in the NCAA.
 
Toughest to Strikeout
Rhodes is the sixth toughest player to strikeout in the NCAA as the senior has struck out only four times in 155 at-bats in 2015.
 
Super Senior, Part I
Rhodes also ranks in the top-seven in several other categories in the A-Sun, including batting average (third, .406), hits (third, 63), runs (t-fourth, 42), total bases (t-fifth, 88), on-base percentage (sixth, .453) and stolen bases (seventh, 16). She also ranks 98th nationally with 0.93 runs per game and is 116th in batting average.
 
RBIs
Junior Megan Veringa sits second in the conference with 45 RBIs and has had 12 multiple RBI games this season, while classmate Hillary Kartman is 10th with 35 RBIs on the year and also owns 12 multiple RBI games this season.
 
Stolen Bases
Four Owls have registered 10 or more stolen bases this season with junior Kara Chambers ranking in a tie for fifth in the A-Sun with 18-of 21 stolen bases this season. Rhodes is second on the team with a 16-of-21 mark, while sophomore Taylor Denton is 14-of-16 on stolen base attempts and classmate Lauren Bennett is 10-of-12 on the year.
 
Home Runs
Nine Owls have gone yard on the season, with Kartman leading the way with 12 home runs, which sits in a tie for third in the A-Sun. Veringa (nine), Chambers (five), redshirt-sophomore Courtney Sutter (five), junior Rachel Dennis (two), junior Emily Bishop (two) and freshman Noelle Winkles (two) have also posted multiple homers on the season.
 
Denton in A-Sun Action
Denton has been red-hot in league action and ranks in a tie for second with a .490 batting average and second with a .554 on-base percentage, while she is tied for eighth with 24 hits in A-Sun contests.
 
Sutter Doubling up in League Play
Sutter is second in conference play with six doubles and has totaled nine two-baggers on the season.  
 
Super Senior, Part II
Senior Paige Mathews leads the league and ranks 15th in the nation with four saves on the year, while ranking fourth in the A-Sun with a team-high 12 wins on the year.
 
No Walk in the Park
Sophomore Logan Viers has given up just 17 walks on the season to rank second in the A-Sun, while allowing the lowest number of runs (46) and the second-lowest earned runs (38) on the season.
 
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.