Phyllis Rafter Memorial Tournament Page
KENNESAW, Ga. - Kennesaw State University softball embarks on its 2020 season with a doubleheader Friday, Feb. 7 at Bailey Park. The annual Phyllis Rafter Memorial Tournament runs through Sunday and features Jacksonville State and Purdue Fort Wayne in a multiple round robin format.
Admission is free to all games at Bailey Park. KSU's lid-lifter is set for 2 p.m. against JSU.
Click here to view the tournament page that includes the schedule, live stats, and YouTube links.
Storylines
• The Kennesaw State University softball team will enter its 14th season of Division 1 competition with high expectations under year two of Head Coach Tripp
MacKay's tenure.
• The team finished its 2019 season with a record of 26-29, finishing fifth in the conference, and was predicted to finish in the same spot for the 2020 season according to the ASUN Conference Coaches Poll. The 2020
conference tournament will be held at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va.
• The Owls return 13 players, including a pair of ASUN All-Freshmen,
Christen Florence and
Katie Greep. Preseason ASUN All-Conference Team honoree,
Jade Lee, bolsters the lineup from her utility position.
•
Brea Dickey,
Hannah Thomason,
Abby Deane, and Lee headline the senior class.
• Kennesaw State has a challenging non-conference slate and will compete against a handful of Power Five Conference School such as Iowa State, Penn State, Oklahoma State, Clemson, and Georgia Tech.
• The Owls will also compete in an exhibition game against the US National Team in Columbus, Ga. on April 3.
•
Lexi Solorzano led the team in homeruns last year with eight, while driving in 23 RBIs and scoring 21 runs.
•
Faith Alexander finished the 2019 season with a .976 fielding percentage, logging 25 putouts and 15 assists.
Scouting the Opposition
• Jacksonville State leads the all-time series with KSU, 12-6, with the Gamecocks finishing on top in two matchups last spring.
• The Gamecocks have won 11 Ohio Valley Conference Championships and are nine-time NCAA Regional Participants. JSU is predicted to
finish second in the OVC this year.
• Jana McGinnis returns for her 27th season as head coach of her alma mater and will have key pieces returning with sophomore infielder Karsen Mosley and senior pitcher Alexus Jimmerson back from last season.
• Mosley was named to the All-OVC First Team and All-Newcomer after posting a .355 batting average, 44 runs, 49 hits, seven doubles, and 13 stolen bases last season.
• Jimmerson made eight appearances in the circle last year while at the plate recording a .245 batting
average, 14 runs scored, 24 hits, eight doubles, and five home runs in 2019.
• Purdue Fort Wayne has played KSU just twice. The Owls emerged victorious in both games in the 2018 season.
• Germaine Fairchild returns for her fifth season as head coach of the Mastodons. She has 17 years NCAA coaching experience with seven postseason appearances and four championship appearances.
• Seniors Brooke Imel and Maria Palmegiani return for their final season with the Mastodons. Imel started in 48 of 49 games in 2019, and registered 32 hits, six RBIs and three doubles in the season. She has also been on the Summit League
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.
