Game 28: Kennesaw State (17-10) vs. Samford (15-13)
Date:  March 22, 2016
Location: Birmingham, Ala. | Samford Softball Field
Series Record: Kennesaw State leads series, 8-1
Last Meeting: 2013, Kennesaw State won, 3-2, in Kennesaw, Ga.
Last Kennesaw State Win: 2013, Kennesaw State won, 3-2, in Kennesaw, Ga.
Links: Live Stats | Twitter | KSU Stats (PDF)
 
ON DECK
Fresh off an Atlantic Sun Conference opening-series win at Jacksonville over the weekend, Kennesaw State will return to action on Tuesday (Mar. 22) when it travels to Birmingham, Ala. for a non-conference contest against Samford at Samford Softball Field.
 
The Owls (17-10, 2-1) opened A-Sun Conference play with a doubleheader on Saturday (Mar. 19) and, after suffering a tough 1-0, 11-inning loss to Jacksonville, rebounded to post a 5-4 win in the nightcap and a 7-1 victory on Sunday (Mar. 20).
 
Following Tuesday's affair at Samford, the Owls will return home to Bailey Park to host Stetson in a three-game conference series beginning with a doubleheader on Friday (Mar. 25). The series will conclude with a 1 p.m. contest on Saturday (Mar. 26).
 
ABOUT SAMFORD
Samford is 15-13 on the season and is coming off a 3-1 record at the St. John's Invitational over the weekend. The Bulldogs, who have won two straight, recorded victories over Manhattan (8-6), Howard (11-4) and Farleigh Dickinson (10-3). Samford's lone loss was a 5-4 setback to St. John's. The Bulldogs are batting .294 as a team and have five players batting .300 or better, including Hannah Trombley, who tops the club with a .391 average. Samford has posted a 5.06 team ERA and is led by Mollie Hanson, who is 7-7 with a 4.63 ERA and team-leading 36 strikeouts.
 
THE SERIES VERSUS SAMFORD
Tuesday's contest between Kennesaw State and Samford will mark the 10th meeting between the two programs with the Owls leading the all-time series, 8-1. The two teams last met in 2013 and Kennesaw State recorded a 3-2 win in Kennesaw. The Owls have won seven in a row dating back to 2006.
 
NOTES
* Kennesaw State currently ranks fifth in the nation in steals, averaging 3.00 per game. The Owls have swiped 81 bases in 93 attempts and have four players with 10 or more steals.
 
* With one stolen base on Sunday, senior Kara Chambers increased her career total to 48 and away of tying of tying Tracey Britt (1991-94) for second place at 49. Chambers is also the team-leader in stolen bases with 17 thefts in 18 attempts.
 
* Junior Taylor Denton is also moving the career stolen bases chart. With 16 stolen bases in 17 attempts this season, Denton has increased her career total to 46 and is in fourth place on KSU's all-time stolen base list.
 
• With her grand slam in the seventh inning on Sunday, junior Courtney Sutter move into a tie for 10th place on Kennesaw State's all-time career home run list. Her 19 home runs tie her with Amy Middleton (2002-05).
 
* With 94 career RBIs, senior Megan Veringa is six shy of 100 for her career. She is also two home runs of moving into the program's career top 10 list. Veringa currently has 17 career home runs.
 
* The Owls are 15-3 when scoring first and 9-0 when scoring in the first inning.

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