Opening Weekend
Phyllis Rafter Memorial Tournament
Date: Feb. 8-10
Location: Kennesaw, Ga.
Stadium: Bailey Park
Tournament Schedule | KSU Notes
Live Video (KSU Games Only)



LEADING OFF                                                                                                                                                    
» The Kennesaw State softball team opens its 35th season this week when it hosts the Phyllis Rafter Memorial Tournament at Bailey Park.
» The Owls will entertain Eastern Illinois, Morehead State and Ohio beginning on Friday. The three-day weekend tournament includes 12 games and concludes on Sunday.
» KSU opens against Eastern Illinois on Friday beginning at 5 p.m. and concludes the day with a 7:30 p.m. contest versus Morehead State.
» Admission to all home games at Bailey Park is free. Contests involving Kennesaw State will be streamed live on https://www.facebook.com/KennesawStateOwls.
 
GAME DAY STORYLINES                                                                                                                                   
» Kennesaw State begins the 2019 season with new leadership at the top as Tripp MacKay enters his first year as head coach. MacKay, who replaces Pete D'Amour who left to take the head coaching position at Virginia Tech, comes to Kennesaw after spending the previous two seasons at the University of Texas where he helped the Longhorns to a 66-52 record and a pair of NCAA Regional appearances.
» Prior to his stint in Austin, MacKay served nine seasons at the University of Oklahoma and was instrumental in helping the Sooners to postseason play each year and three Women's College World Series appearances.
» The Owls reached new heights in 2018 season as they posted a 39-17 overall record, including a 14-3 mark in ASUN Conference play. KSU captured the outright regular-season and conference tournament titles and advanced to NCAA Division I Regional play for the first time in program history.
» For the first time since moving to the NCAA Division I level in 2006, the Owls appeared in the national rankings. Kennesaw State received 21 votes in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll to finish the year ranked No. 27.
» Kennesaw State also had a strong show in the RPI Rankings, finishing the year at No. 43.
» The Owls return 16 letter winners, including five starters from a year ago and have added seven newcomers to the roster. Highlighting the list of returners are seniors Maddie Roth (NFCA Third Team All-American), Kira Czyrklis (First Team All-ASUN), junior Olivia Gocke (Second Team All-ASUN) and sophomore Lexi Solorzano (ASUN All-Freshman).
 
EASTERN ILLINOIS SCOUTING REPORT
The Panthers concluded the 2018 season with a 36-20 overall record, including a 13-9 mark in the Ohio Valley Conference. EIU finished sixth in the OVC a year ago and is picked sixth in the 2019 preseason coaches' poll. The Panthers return their top hitter from a year ago in junior first baseman Hailey Mitchell, who batted .417 with 12 home runs and 63 RBI. EIU is looking to replace its top two pitchers from last season. The duo of Jessica Wireman and Michelle Rogers combined to post a 34-18 record.
 
SERIES VERSUS EASTERN ILLINOIS
Kennesaw State and Eastern Illinois have met four previous times and the Owls lead the all-time series, 3-1. The two teams last met in 2017 and the Panthers recorded a 9-6 victory at Bailey Park.
 
MOREHEAD STATE SCOUTING REPORT
The Eagles posted a 28-23 overall record and 8-14 mark in the OVC, finishing eighth in the conference. Morehead State was picked to finish 10th in the preseason coaches' poll. The Eagles lost their top five hitters from last season. Junior Aubrey Bennett is Morehead State's top returning hitter after batting .242 with six RBI in 2018. The Eagles also will be looking to replace their top two pitchers from 2018.
 
SERIES VERSUS MOREHEAD STATE
Kennesaw State and Morehead State have met five previous times and the Owls lead the series, 4-1. The two teams met last season at Bailey Park and KSU recorded a 4-0 victory.
 
OHIO SCOUTING REPORT
The Bobcats finished 2018 with a 40-17 overall mark, including a 20-3 mark in the MAC, captured the conference tournament and advanced to the NCAA Knoxville Regional, posting a 2-2 record. Senior infielder Alex Day returns as Ohio's top hitter after batting .333 with 12 home runs and 44 RBI. The Bobcats have the task of replacing Danielle Stiene, who was the MAC's Pitcher of the Year and first team All-Mideast Region after posting a 29-8 record and 1.45 ERA.
 
SERIES VERSUS OHIO
Kennesaw State and Ohio have met one previous time and the Owls recorded a 7-2 victory in 2015.
 
CHATTANOOGA SCOUTING REPORT
The Mocs are coming off a 26-30 season in 2018 that included a 9-7 mark and fourth place finish in the Southern Conference in 2018. The Mocs are picked third in this season's SoCon preseason coaches' poll. Junior outfielder Aly Walker returns as Chattanooga's top hitter after batting .361 with four home runs and 13 RBI. Junior pitcher Celie Hudson led the Mocs' staff a year ago after recording a 13-14 mark and 3.62 ERA.
 
SERIES VERSUS CHATTANOOGA
Sunday's contest will mark the first meeting between Chattanooga and Kennesaw State.
 
KSU VERSUS TOP 75 RPI TEAMS
Kennesaw State, which held a Top 50 RPI ranking for most of the 2018 season, fared well against teams appearing in the RPI's top 75. The Owls recorded an 11-9 mark against nine teams - No. 8 Georgia (0-1), No. 18 Hofstra (0-1), No. 20 Auburn (0-2), No. 29 Liberty (1-1), No. 39 FGCU (3-1), No. 54 Lipscomb (2-0), No. 61 USC Upstate (3-1), No. 62 DePaul (0-2) and No. 65 Georgia State (2-0).
 
ASUN NO. 6 IN RPI RANKINGS
The ASUN Conference was one of the top conferences in the country during the 2018 season, ranking sixth in the final 2018 RPI rankings. The ASUN ranked behind only the SEC, Pac-12, Big 12, American Athletic Conference and ACC.
 
ALL-AMERICAN STATUS
Junior utility Maddie Roth became the first Kennesaw State Division I softball player to earn garner All-American honors when she was named to the third team by the NFCA. Roth, who also was also an NFCA All-South Region first team selection, concluded the year with a .377 average, 13 doubles, eight home runs and 36 RBI.
 
OWLS RETURN FOUR ASUN CONFERENCE HONOREES
Kennesaw State returns four players who earned ASUN Conference honors following the 2018 season. Seniors Kira Czyrklis (OF, First Team) and Maddie Roth (UT, Second Team), junior Olivia Gocke (OF, Second) and sophomore Lexi Solorzano (C, Freshman Team) highlight the cast of returning players. Roth (Most Valuable Player), Czyrklis and Solorzano were also named the ASUN Championship All-Tournament team.
 
KSU PICKED THIRD IN PRESEASON POLL
Kennesaw State, which begins the season as the reigning ASUN Conference regular-season and conference tournament champion, was voted to finish third by the league's coaches after receiving one first-place vote and 47 points. ASUN newcomer Liberty earned the poll's top spot, garnering five first-place votes and 61 points. FGCU was picked second after receiving two first-place votes and 56 points.
 
ASUN Preseason Rankings

Rank	Team (First Place Votes)	Votes
1.	Liberty (5)	61
2.	FGCU (2)	56
3.	Kennesaw State (1)	47
4.	Lipscomb	44
5.	North Florida	24
6.	Jacksonville	22
7.	North Alabama	20
8.	Stetson	14

THREE OWLS EARN PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE HONORS
The Kennesaw State softball team had three individuals named to the 2019 ASUN Conference Preseason All-Conference team following a vote of the conference coaches. Seniors Kira Czyrklis and Maddie Roth were selected at the outfield and utility positions, respectively, while sophomore catcher Lexi Solorzano was a unanimous pick.
 
OFFENISVE OUTPUT
The Owls return four of their top five hitters from a year ago. Senior Maddie Roth tops the list after batting .377 with a team-leading 13 doubles, hitting eight home runs and totaling 36 RBI. Junior outfielder Olivia Gocke (.353, 40 runs, 10 doubles, 19 SB), sophomore catcher Lexi Solorzano (.319, 10 doubles, 2 home runs, 23 RBI) and senior outfielder Kira Czyrklis (.317, 32 runs, 10 doubles, 3 triples, 8 home runs, 37 RBI) also return to the lineup.
 
IN THE CIRCLE
Senior Hailey Andrews and junior Abby Deane provide experience in the circle. Andrews made 12 appearances, including seven starts, and registered a 5-0 record, 2.33 ERA and three complete games. In 42 innings, the Owls' right-hander struck out 37 and limited opposing batters to a .228 average. Deane made eight appearances and posted a 2-2 mark, 2.66 ERA and had two complete games. KSU's pitching staff is further bolstered by the addition of freshmen Mattison Cheek (Hiram, Ga. / South Paulding HS) and Peyton Elzey (Easton, Md. / Easton HS). 
 
A LOOK AT THE SCHEDULE
The Owls' 55-game schedule includes 29 opponents, 20 of which finished the 2018 season with winning records, and 15 clubs that won 30 or game games.
 
The Kennesaw State home schedule includes 28 games, including visits from Ohio (Feb. 9), Hofstra (Mar. 1), Fordham (Mar. 3), Liberty (Mar. 15-16) and North Alabama (Apr. 19-20). All five teams advanced to NCAA postseason play last season, with North Alabama advancing at the NCAA Division II level.
 
 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.
   
 
 
 

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