Kennesaw State (29-13, 8-1) at Florida Gulf Coast (29-12, 3-3)
Dates April 14-15 | Times: 1 p.m. & 3 p.m. (Saturday) | 1 p.m. (Sunday)
Location: Fort Myers, Fla. (FGCU Softball Complex)
Game 1: Live Stats | Game 2: Live Stats | Game 3: Live Stats
 
LEADING OFF
* The Kennesaw State softball team (29-13, 8-1) resumes ASUN Conference play this weekend when it travels to Fort Myers, Fla., for a three-game series at Florida Gulf Coast (29-12, 3-3). The series opens with a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. and concludes with a 1 p.m. contest on Saturday.
* The Owls enter play on the heels of an exciting 1-0, 10-inning victory over Georgia Tech on Wednesday that highlighted Lexi's Day. Senior Abigail Green struck out a career-high 15 batters in 10 innings of work, and junior Kira Cyrklis tripled home the winning run for the dramatic walk-off victory.
* Kennesaw State has won 11 of its last 14 games and seven straight ASUN Conference contests heading into this weekend.

THIS WEEKEND'S SCHEDULE

Saturday, April 14
1 p.m. & 3 p.m.	Kennesaw State at Florida Gulf Coast
Sunday, April 15
1 p.m.	Kennesaw State at Florida Gulf Coast

SCOUTING FLORIDA GULF COAST
The Eagles begin the weekend 29-12 and 3-3 in ASUN Conference play. FGCU is coming off a doubleheader split at Florida Atlantic on Wednesday. After dropping the opener, 5-4, in nine innings, the Eagles won the nightcap, 4-1, in eight innings. The Eagles are sixth in the ASUN with a .253 average and lead the conference with a 1.89 ERA. Offensively, FGCU has two players batting .300 or better and are led by junior outfielder Racquel Fournet, who is batting .364 with five home runs and a team-leading 29 RBIs. Junior left-hander Riley Randolph tops the pitching staff with a 12-4 record, 1.61 ERA and has struck out 99 batters in 109 innings.

SERIES VERSUS FLORIDA GULF COAST
Saturday's opener will mark the 30th meeting between Kennesaw State and Florida Gulf Coast, and the Eagles lead the all-time series, 20-9. The two programs squared off three times in 2017, and FGCU won two of the meetings, including a 1-0 victory in the ASUN Championship Tournament.

2018 HONORS
ASUN Player of the Week
Noelle Winkles (March 12)
Patricia Awald (March 19)
Kira Czyrklis (April 2)

ASUN Pitcher of the Week
Alley Cutting (March 19)

IN THE BATTER'S BOX
* The Owls lead the ASUN Conference with a .294 average, and top the league in slugging percentage (.453), runs scored (206), hits (319), doubles (64), home runs (30) and total bases (491).
* Freshman Patricia Awald leads the club with a .387 average, 10 doubles, 35 runs scored, 11 home runs, 36 RBIs, .775 slugging percentage and .481 on-base percentage. Her home run total and slugging percentage rank seventh and 10th, respectively, in the country among freshmen.
* Awald is first in the ASUN in runs scored and RBIs, and second in slugging percentage, home runs and total bases (86). She also has 13 multiple-hit, eight multiple-RBI and three multiple-home run games.
* Junior Maddie Roth ranks second on the Owls with a .383 average and is tied for second with 10 doubles. She has been KSU's hottest hitter over the team's last 14 games, batting .455 (20-for-44) with 10 runs scored, two doubles, two home runs and 12 RBIs, while posting a .636 slugging percentage and .500 on-base percentage. Her 14 multiple-hit games rank second on the team.
* Sophomore Olivia Tamewitz is third on the club with a .366 average, while her 52 hits and 17 stolen bases lead the team. She ranks in the ASUN's top 10 in average (6), runs scored (T5), hits (2), doubles (T7), total bases (T7) and stolen bases (T6). Her 15 multiple-hit games also top the Owls.
* Freshman Alexa Solorzano has been Kennesaw State's top hitter during ASUN Conference play, batting .409 (9-for-22) with a team-high tying five runs scored. Awald ranks second with a .364 average (8-for-22).

IN THE CIRCLE
* The Owls have a 2.06 team ERA, are yielding a .219 opponents' batting average and have 27 complete games. The staff's 285 strikeouts lead the ASUN.
* Sophomore Alley Cutting has an 9-7 record and team-best 1.70 ERA while making a team-high 23 appearances, including 17 starts. She also has 12 complete games and three saves. Cutting has struck out 113 batters in 115 1/3 innings while allowing 28 earned runs.
* Senior Abigail Green is 14-4 with a 2.20 ERA in 19 appearances. She has made 16 starts and posted 11 complete games. Green, who has struck out 10 or more batters in a game five times, has fanned a team and career-high 130 in 98 2/3 innings. Her strikeout and win totals rank second in the ASUN Conference.
* The KSU right-hander has established single-season career highs for wins (14), games started (16), complete games (11), shutouts (5) and innings pitched (98.2).  
* Over her last 14 appearances, Green has registered a 13-1 record, 1.22 ERA and eight complete games. In 74 2/3 innings of work, she has allowed 13 earned runs and struck out 104, including a career-high 15 versus Georgia Tech on April 11.

ASUN PRESEASON COACHES POLL
Following a 40-win season that included a postseason berth plus a solid nucleus returning, Kennesaw State was picked to finish first in the 2018 ASUN Conference Softball Preseason Coaches' Poll released on Jan. 17. The Owls, who received four first-place votes and totaled 46 points to finish ahead of defending conference champion USC Upstate (43 points, 2 first-place votes), garnered the top spot in the poll for the first time since joining the ASUN Conference prior to the 2006 season. KSU was ranked second in the preseason coaches' poll on three different occasions (2007, 2008, 2013).

ASUN Preseason Rankings

Rank	Team (First Place Votes)	Votes
1.	Kennesaw State (4)	46
2.	USC Upstate (2)	43
3.	Florida Gulf Coast (1)	31
4.	Lipscomb	29
5.	North Florida	23
6.	Jacksonville	13
7.	Stetson	11

2017 REVIEW
* Under first-year head coach Pete D'Amour, who took the reins on Sept. 16, 2016, Kennesaw State posted a 40-20 record and advanced to the postseason in 2017. The Owls finished second in the ASUN Conference and made their first postseason showing at the NCAA Division I level, finishing third in the inaugural National Invitational Softball Championship. KSU was ranked No. 47 nationally in the final RPI rankings.

CUTTING TABBED ASUN PRESEASON CO-PITCHER OF THE YEAR
Sophomore Alley Cutting was named ASUN Preseason Co-Pitcher of the Year, along with Lipscomb's Mandy Jordan, and selected to the all-conference team. She was also named the ASUN's Preseason Pitcher of the Year in a vote by the fans. The Owls right-hander posted a 20-10 record, 2.19 ERA, 16 complete games and two saves while making 38 appearances, including 31 starts. She worked 201 1/3 innings, allowed 63 earned runs, walked 49 and struck out 186 batters en route to earning ASUN Freshman of The Year and first team all-conference honors.

SOLID NUCLEUS RETURNS IN 2018
Including Alley Cutting, the Owls return five players who earned ASUN Conference accolades in 2017. Senior Noelle Winkles (.360, 8 HR, 41 RBI), junior Hannah Thomason (.354, 47 R, 33 SB) and sophomore Olivia Tamewitz (.342, 31 RBI, 19 SB), who earned second team All-ASUN Conference recognition a year ago, are back to form a talented outfield, while sophomore utility player Katey Lynch (.285, 4 HR, 28 RBI) also returns after garnering all-freshman team honors.

HEAD COACH PETE D'AMOUR
* Head coach Pete D'Amour enters his second season as Kennesaw State head coach after spending the prior 10 seasons at the University of Missouri.
* In his first season guiding the Owls, D'Amour led KSU to 40-20 overall record National Invitational Softball Championship Region 5 title and a No. 47 ranking in the final RPI rankings.
* While at Mizzou, D'Amour helped the Tigers post a 453-154 (.746) record, advance to three Women's College World Series (2009, 2010, 2011), reach eight NCAA Division I Super Regionals, and participate in 10 NCAA Regionals.
* During D'Amour's tenure, Missouri won two Big 12 Conference championships and earned 10 straight Top 20 national rankings.
* Primarily responsible for working with the pitchers and catchers, D'Amour watched Tigers pitcher throw 11 no-hitters, while mentoring 11 All-Americans, two SEC Freshen of the Year, three conference Pitchers of the Year, a national earned-run average leader, and a Defensive Player of the Year.

UP NEXT
Following Sunday's series finale, Kennesaw State will conclude its regular-season non-conference schedule when it visits Georgia State on Wednesday (April 18). First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.

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. You can also follow head coach Pete D'Amour at @KSUSBCoach.

To learn more about The Owls Fund visit www.ksuowls.com/theowlsfund.
   
 

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