By: Matteen Zibanejadrad
UP NEXT TO PLATE
The Kennesaw State baseball team (10-5, 3-0) travels to Nashville, Tenn. to take on Lipscomb University (5-6, 0-0) in a weekend series that opens the Bisons' conference schedule. The Owls are still dusting off after sweeping the Bellarmine Knights and a midweek meeting with Western Carolina was postponed.
Opponent: Lipscomb Bisons
Location: Nashville, Tenn. | Dugan Field
GAME ONE:
Date: Friday, March 19
Time: 5:00 p.m. EST
Starting Pitching
KSU: Jake Rice (4-0, 0.00 ERA)
LIP: Ike Buxton (2-1, 4.26 ERA)
Live Stats
GAME TWO:
Date: Saturday, March 20
Time: 3:00 p.m. EST
Starting Pitching
KSU: Luke Torbert (1-1, 5.49 ERA)
LIP: Max Habegger (1-1, 3.18 ERA)
Live Stats
GAME THREE:
Date: Sunday, March 21
Time: 2:00 p.m. EST
Starting Pitching
KSU: TBA
LIP: Logan Van Treeck (1-0, 2.81 ERA)
Live Stats
SCOUTING LIPSCOMB
Lipscomb have lost their last four games, but it's hard to pin that on the quality of the team; they were swept in three games to No. 7 Georgia and lost a nailbiter to a quality Auburn team.
The Bisons' series against Kennesaw State will be a good barometer for the rest of their season, as the Nashville, Tenn. team has not yet faced ASUN competition.
RISE OF RICE
After winning his first four starts in a row, it was hard to believe that left-handed pitcher Jake Rice could get any more impressive before his Friday start against Bellarmine.
His performance of the Knights was his best of the season, striking out eight batters in his seven-inning shutout. Tied for the conference's lead in wins and strikeouts, the Birmingham, Ala. native has placed himself among the very best in NCAA baseball.
According to baseball reporter and personality Dani Wexelman, Rice is one of three pitchers in all of college baseball to pitch at least 20 innings and not allow an earned run.
The leftie will start his third straight series as the Owls' ace and he will look to continue his streak of no earned runs against Lipscomb.
NOTHING NORMAL ABOUT NORMAN
Terence Norman had an unbelievable series against the Bellarmine Knights. After hitting for three RBIs in the first two games, the right fielder went three-for-six while hitting a home run and six RBIs.
After his big weekend, the Kennesaw, Ga. hometown boy now leads the ASUN in runs-batted-in with 19. Not only does he lead, but he's ahead of the next-closest hitter by three RBIs.
HODGY IS HOT
All of KSU's veteran outfielders are putting together final seasons to remember and Garrett Hodges is no exception.
The left-handed batter contributed three runs with just one swing against Bellarmine on Sunday, hitting an absolute bomb of a home run to right field to take a 9-5 lead for the Owls.
This was after he went five-for-five with two RBIs as a designated hitter the day before in Kennesaw State's 9-3 win on Saturday.
With the team hitting a total of 93 RBIs, the triumvirate of Norman, Hodges and Alex Carballo have hit 44% of those RBIs with 41.
