TOP OF THE ORDER• After opening its season with an impressive 3-0 record at the KSU Kickoff Classic, the Kennesaw State softball team returns to action this weekend when it hosts the Phyllis Rafter Memorial Tournament at Bailey Park.
• The Owls will host Bowling Green, Bradley, Morehead State and Rutgers beginning on Friday (Feb. 19). The tournament continues with a full slate of games on Saturday (Feb. 20) and Sunday (Feb. 21).
• Live video of Friday's games versus Rutgers and Bowling Green will be available on A-Sun TV and can be accessed by logging onto KSUOwls.com.
• In its opening weekend of play, Kennesaw State defeated Murray State (7-0), North Carolina Central (3-2) and East Tennessee State (4-2) in a tournament that was shortened to two days due to cold weather.
• Friday's victory over Murray State marked the 11th consecutive season-opening win for the Owls, all since they transitioned to the NCAA Division I level in 2006. Overall, Kennesaw State has won 26 consecutive season openers dating back to the 1991 when it competed at the NAIA level.
• The Owls are 3-0 for the first time since 2013 when they began the season 7-0 en route to a 34-20 record.
• The Kennesaw State 2016 schedule includes four teams that began the season either ranked or were receiving votes in the USA
Today/NFCA Division I Coaches and ESPN3.Com/USA Softball preseason polls.
• The Owls will play at No. 8/9 Tennessee (Apr. 5), No. 12/14 Georgia (Mar. 16) and No. 25/RV South Alabama (Apr. 30). KSU is also scheduled to travel to Atlantic Sun Conference rival USC Upstate Apr. 23-24 for a three-game series in Spartanburg. The Spartans are among teams receiving votes.
• #TOURNEYCENTRAL. Kennesaw State and Bailey Park will be tournament central this year as the Owls are in the midst of hosting three tournaments in the first three weeks of the season. Following this weekend's Phyllis Rafter Memorial Tournament, Kennesaw State will welcome Western Michigan, UT Martin and Alabama A&M to Kennesaw for the inaugural Dr. Bobbie Bailey Memorial Tournament (Feb. 26-28).
A look at the Phyllis Rafter Memorial Tournament field:
• BOWLING GREEN: The Falcons opened their season at the CSU Dome Invitational and went 1-3. Bowling Green dropped its first three games to Morehead State (6-5), Niagara (4-1) and host Cleveland State (8-5) before defeating Robert Morris (7-1). Senior outfielder Marisa Shook led the Falcons with a .455 average (5-for-11), scored four runs, a pair of doubles, two home runs and 5 RBIs.
• BRADLEY: The Braves enter play this week with a 1-4 mark after competing in the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz. Bradley fell in its first two games to Nevada (7-6) and Seattle (9-0) before topping Boise State (4-2). The Braves concluded the weekend with setbacks to Utah State (6-2) and Northwestern (8-4). Junior Kelly Kapp highlighted the Bradley offense as she batted .529 (9-for-17) with four runs scored and was 5-for-5 in stealing bases.
• MOREHEAD STATE: The Eagles opened their season at the CSU Dome Invitational and posted a 3-1 mark, beginning the year with consecutive wins over Cleveland State (6-5), Niagara (4-3) and Bowling Green (6-5) before falling 8-0 to Robert Morris. Sophomore Robyn Leighton led the Morehead State offense as she batted .500 (5-for-10) with three runs scored, a double, three home runs and five RBI in four games.
• RUTGERS: The Scarlet Knights opened their season at the UCF Knights Invitational and went 0-5, losing to three ranked opponents. Rutgers fell twice to No. 19 James Madison (5-0, 8-3), suffered a 4-1 setback to No. 7 UCF and lost 6-0 to No. 5 Alabama. Sophomore infielder Rebecca Hall led the Scarlet Knights offensively with a .467 average (7-for-15).
• A LOOK BACK AT THE KSU KICKOFF CLASSIC: The Owls opened their season with a 3-0 record, defeating Murray State, North Carolina Central and East Tennessee State. KSU batted .320 as a team and a quartet of pitchers combined to post a 1.33 ERA and record 17 strikeouts.
WEEKEND NOTES• Senior right fielder
Hillary Kartman led Kennesaw State offensively over the weekend, going 5-for-9 (.556) with two runs scored and a pair of doubles.
• Kartman and
Courtney Sutter hit safely in all three games, with Sutter posting a .400 average (4-for-10) while hitting a triple and home run.
• Senior
Megan Veringa produced a pair of two-hit games, batting .400 (4-for-10) with two runs scored, four RBIs and a home run.
• Morgan Sikes pitched 8 2/3 innings over the weekend and was 1-0 with a 0.81 ERA. She allowed seven hits, one run, walked 1 and struck out five.
• In three starts,
Logan Viers produced a 1-0 record and 1.56 ERA. She pitched nine innings and scattered 10 hits, allowed two runs, walked one and struck out 10.
• Hannah Thomason, who started as the designated player against North Carolina Central, worked a pair of walks and recorded her first career stolen base.
• In addition to collecting two hits against North Carolina Central, sophomore newcomer
Katie Cannington had two stolen bases.
• Freshman pitcher
Jenna Kniss made her collegiate debut against North Carolina Central and struck out two while pitching an inning of relief.
• Senior
Monica Vickery pitched a perfect seventh inning against North Carolina Central to earn the win in relief.
• PRESEASON COACHES POLL: The Owls are picked to finish third in the Atlantic Sun Conference, according the league's coaches. Lipscomb, which finished runner-up in the conference tournament a year ago, is picked to win the regular season after receiving six of seven first-place votes and 48 points.
USC Upstate, the 2015 tournament champion, finished second in the voting after garnering one first-place vote and 41 points.
Atlantic Sun Conference Preseason Poll| RK | Team (1st Place Votes) | Points |
| 1. | Lipscomb (6) | 48 |
| 2. | USC Upstate (1) | 41 |
| 3. | Kennesaw State | 31 |
| 4. | Stetson | 25 |
| 5. | North Florida | 19 |
| 6. | FGCU | 16 |
| Jacksonville | 16 |
• SUTTER, VERINGA PRESEASON ALL CONFERENCE: Junior catcher
Courtney Sutter and senior first baseman
Megan Veringa was named to the Atlantic Sun Conference preseason all-conference team.
• Veringa was a unanimous selection by the league's coaches after earning second team all-conference selection in 2015 after batting a career-high .347 and establishing personal-bests in every offensive category, including runs scored (30), hits (52), home runs (9) and RBIs (46), while ranking sixth in the A-Sun Conference in RBIs and tied for 10th in home runs.
• A first-team all-conference catcher in 2015, Sutter is coming off a sophomore season in which she batted .313 with 26 runs scored, 47 hits, 10 doubles, seven home runs and 33 RBIs.
• HEAD COACH TORY ACHESON: Head coach
Tory Acheson is beginning his second season at the helm of the Owls program. The 2016 season will mark Acheson's 22nd as a collegiate coach during which time he has posted a career mark of 828-453-2 (.646).
MILESTONE WATCH• With 32 wins in his first season leading the Owls and three thus far this year, head coach
Tory Acheson is 15 wins shy of No. 50 at Kennesaw State. He is also 19 victories shy of 850 career wins.
• Senior
Megan Veringa enters this week with 15 career home runs and is four shy of tying for ninth place on the KSU all-time career home run list. Junior
Courtney Sutter and senior
Hillary Kartman are also moving their way toward the program's top 10 home run list as they have 14 and 13, respectively.
• Junior
Taylor Denton ranks 10th on the Kennesaw State all-time career stolen base list with 31 and is two shy of tying former teammate
Natalie Rhodes for ninth place all-time. Senior
Kara Chambers also is approaching the top 10 as she enters this season with 30 career swipes.
To keep up with the latest Kennesaw State softball news follow the team on Twitter @KSUOwlNationand @KSUOwlsSB or by liking Kennesaw State University on Facebook. - #GoKSUOwls -
