By: Al Barba
LIBERTY (16-9, 0-0) at KENNESAW STATE (15-13, 0-0)
Date: March 15-16
Time: 5 p.m. & 7 p.m.
Location: Bailey Park
Game 1: Live Stats |
Watch
Game 2: Live Stats |
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Game 3:
Live Stats |
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KSU Notes
NOTE: Due to forecasted rain on Friday the first game of the series is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. A doubleheader will begin at 12 p.m. on Saturday.
LEADING OFF
» The Kennesaw State softball team opens ASUN Conference play this weekend when it welcomes conference newcomer Liberty to Bailey Park on Friday.
» The two teams are scheduled to play a doubleheader on Friday beginning at 5 p.m. and conclude the series with a 1 p.m. contest on Saturday.
» Live stats for all three games will be available through KSUOwls.com and live streams can be accessed on the KSU You Tube channel, KSUOwlsvision.
GAME DAY STORYLINES
» The Owls (15-13) enter the weekend as defending ASUN Conference champions and winners of 10 of their last 12 games. KSU had its 10-game winning streak snapped on Wednesday after falling in both ends of a doubleheader to Jacksonville State (2-0, 7-6).
» During its last 12-games, the Owls are batting .320 as a team and has posted a 1.79 ERA, allowing 20 earned runs in 78 innings.
» Senior
Maddie Roth and freshman
Katie Greep have led the offense, combining to go 27-for-68 (.397) with 19 runs scored, six doubles, four home runs and 21 RBIs.
» Roth is batting .417 (15-for-36) with 11 runs scored, four doubles, a home run, 12 RBIs, .611 slugging percentage and .533 on-base percentage.
» Greep has recorded a .375 average (12-for-32) with eight runs scored, two doubles, three home runs and nine RBIs while posting an .719 slugging percentage and .432 on-base percentage.
» During the last 12 games, senior
Hailey Andrews has made six starts and registered a 5-1 record and 0.56 ERA with four complete games and a save. In 37 2/3 innings, the KSU right-hander has allowed 21 hits, three earned runs, walked nine and struck out 50 while limiting the opposition to a .163 average.
» Kennesaw State is in a stretch of playing 18 of 23 games at Bailey Park during the month of March. The mid-week trip to Jacksonville State will mark the Owls only trip outside the state of Georgia and will be at home every weekend during the month.
» Kennesaw State is in its first season under the direction of first-year head coach
Tripp MacKay. MacKay took over the reign from Pete D'Amour who left to take the head coaching position at Virginia Tech. The Owls' rookie head coach 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 advance to postseason play each year and make 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.
THOMASON ASUN PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Junior
Hannah Thomason was named ASUN Conference Player of the Week on March 11. She was honored for the second time in her career. Thomason was a catalyst at the top of the lineup in helping the Owls to a 7-0 record during the week. She batted .421 (8-for-19) with nine runs scored, a double, triple and two RBIs while posting a .579 slugging percentage and .577 on-base percentage. Combined with seven walks, Thomason reached base in 15 of 26 plate appearances. She also stole four bases, hit safely in six of seven games and reached base and scored a run in each game.
THE ROSTER
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).
LIBERTY SCOUTING REPORT
The Flames are 16-9 on the season and are coming off a 4-1 home victory over Pitt on Wednesday. Liberty is batting .283 as a team and has a collective 1.79 ERA. Five players are batting .300 or better and the Flames are led by Autumn Bishop, who is hitting .375, while Amber Bishop is second with a .373 average and leads the club with six home runs and 14 RBIs. Julie DiMartino, the ASUN Conference's preseason Pitcher of the Year, leads the staff with a 9-4 record and 1.01 ERA.
SERIES VERSUS LIBERTY
Kennesaw State and Liberty have met seven previous times and the Flames lead the series, 4-3. The two teams met a year ago and split a doubleheader at Bailey Park.
OFFENISVE OUTPUT
» The Owls lead the ASUN Conference in runs scored (142), hits (209), home runs (23), RBIs (131) and on-base percentage (.399).
» The Kennesaw State pitching staff leads the ASUN Conference with 145 strikeouts.
» Sophomore catcher
Lexi Solorzano tops the ASUN Conference with a career-high eight home runs and is second with a team-leading 20 RBIs.
» Roth tops the Owls with eight multiple-hit games.
» Roth is tied for the ASUN Conference lead with 31 hits and ranks second in the ASUN Conference in runs (23), third in RBIs (19), and on-base percentage (.567), tied for seventh in average (.373) and is eighth in slugging percentage (.590).
» Despite missing seven games with an injury, junior
Jade Lee has put up impressive since returning to the lineup. She is batting .373 with 11 runs scored, 22 hits, seven doubles, two home runs and 18 RBIs, while posting a .593 slugging percentage and .422 on-base percentage.
» Lee is tied for third in the ASUN with seven doubles and tied for fourth with 18 RBIs.
IN THE CIRCLE
» Senior
Hailey Andrews leads the Owls with seven wins, 15 appearances, 13 complete games, 82 2/3 innings pitched and 89 strikeouts.
» Andrews ranks among the ASUN Conference's top 10 in innings pitched (2nd), complete games (T-1st), wins, (T-2nd) and strikeouts (1st).
CLIMBING THE CAREER CHARTS
» Redshirt junior
Hannah Thomason is nearing the Kennesaw State NCAA Division I record for career stolen bases. She has seven stolen bases and ranks second all-time with 70 stolen bases.
Taylor Denton (2014-17) is the career record-holder with 80.
» Junior
Olivia Gocke is also making a run up the career stolen base list. She is 5-for-6 this season ranks eighth all-time with 43 career thefts.
SENIOR JESSIE MULLEN HONORED
Senior shortstop
Jessie Mullen was honored on Feb. 15 in Fort Walton Beach, Florida as the 2019 All Sports Association of Northwest Florida Female Collegiate Athlete of the Year. Mullen prepped at Niceville High School in Niceville, Florida.
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.
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.
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.
-#GoKSUOwls-
