By: Matteen Zibanejadrad
KENNESAW, Ga. - The Kennesaw State baseball team will return to action for the 2021 season this weekend with a four-game series against Saint Louis University. This is the first time the Stillwell Stadium has seen action since March 11 last year in the team's game against Quinnipiac; afterward, the remainder of the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Opponent: Saint Louis University
Date: Feb. 19, 20 (doubleheader), 21
Time: 4 p.m. / 1 p.m. / 4 p.m. / 1 p.m.
Location: Stillwell Stadium
Game 1: Live Stats / Watch
Game 2: Live Stats / Watch
Game 3: Live Stats / Watch
Game 4: Live Stats / Watch
Pitching Matchups
Friday
KSU | RHP Luke Torbert
SLU | LHP Trevor Harris
Saturday
KSU | LHP Jake Rice
SLU | RHP Marius Balandis
Saturday (Game 2)
KSU | LHP Ryan Kennedy
SLU | LHP Mark Finkelnburg
Sunday
KSU | RHP Makenzie Stills
SLU | RHP Scott Youngbrandt
Top Storylines
• KSU enters the 2021 season after a 10-8 record in 2020, which started off with a three-game winning streak against St. John's, Saint Peter's and Cincinnati in the Atlanta Classic.
• Kennesaw State baseball is lucky enough to retain 24 players from its 2020 squad, keeping many of the players after last season was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Among those returners are Owls' outfielders Alex Carballo, Garrett Hodges and former ASUN Baseball Preseason Player of the Year Terence Norman. The trio's 37 runs-batted-in accounted for more than a third of the team's tally of 105 last season. Carballo's 21 RBIs led the conference in 2020 and he also tied for second in home runs with four.
• KSU has also inherited a handful of graduate students who boast invaluable experience heading into the new season. One of these graduate students is Saturday's game two starter, Jake Rice. Rice joins the Owls from Presbyterian College, where he made his debut with a five-inning, three-hit performance victory against Alabama. Fellow grad students Andrew Grogan and Anthony Rodriguez will help bolster the team's bullpen, while Jake Coro made his name at Southern New Hampshire as a second baseman.
• Terence Norman has made another appearance in the ASUN's Preseason All-Conference Team. Norman, the hometown hero from Kennesaw, Ga., had another solid season as a KSU slugger. In his shortened campaign, the hometown hero of Kennesaw, Ga. drove in five runs and recorded 17 hits for a .315 batting average. Norman is an important asset in the outfield, where he sported a 1.000 fielding percentage in the 2020 season; he earned 24 putouts and one assist in the 2020 season. The senior will look to be a 'threepeat' selection to the ASUN First Team All-Conference team, appearing in both 2018 and 2019.
• Norman is joined by his teammate, sophomore catcher Tyler Tolve. The six-foot-two graduate of Sprayberry High School played an impressive 2020 season. Starting 16 games, Tolve had multiple hits in four different games. The junior has established himself as a dangerous baserunner, successfully stealing a bag in every one of his five attempts; his five stolen bases placed him ninth among the ASUN leaders.
• Kennesaw State legend and head coach Mike Sansing was ranked no. 6 in Baseball America's Top 25 Winningest Head Coaches in Division I baseball. The former Division I Regional, NCAA Division II and NAIA champion is heading into his 30th season, furthering his reputation as one of the most prolific coaches in KSU history.
• The Owls return every pitcher that started a game in the 2020 season, including Jared Rine, Brayden Eidson, Ryan Kennedy, Luke Torbert, Gage Vailes, Colby Williams and Brison Finney.
• Retaining his status as a freshman, catcher Nick Hassan begins his 2021 season as the reigning batting champion after hitting for a .440 average last season. The Fayetteville, Ga. native will look to return to the form that earned him the ASUN Player of the Week on March 9, 2020.
• The only player to start all 18 games for KSU in 2020 is no. 2 Tyler Simon. The shortstop turned more double plays than any other ASUN infielder with 12. His impressive glove in middle infield also saw him lead the conference with 58 assists. Simon is no stranger to success after earning a selection to the ASUN Second Team All-Conference in 2019 and he hopes his all-round play will earn him more accolades this season.
