By: Matteen Zibanejadrad
UP NEXT TO PLATE
The Kennesaw State baseball team (26-17, 12-6) closes out its conference campaign with another weekend series against the Liberty Flames (33-11, 17-1). After getting swept in Lynchburg, Va., the Owls return to the Stillwell Stadium to avenge those three losses and heat up the bats before the postseason.
Opponent: Liberty
Location: Kennesaw, Ga. | Stillwell Stadium
GAME ONE
Date: Friday, May 14
Time: 5:00 p.m. EST
Starting Pitching
KSU: LHP Jake Rice (8-1, 1.70 ERA)
LIB: LHP Trevor Delaite (8-1, 2.28 ERA)
Live Stats
GAME TWO
Date: Saturday, May 15
Time: 2:00 p.m. EST
Starting Pitching
KSU: RHP Luke Torbert (5-4, 5.11 ERA)
LIB: RHP Dylan Cumming (2-1, 5.86 ERA)
Live Stats
GAME THREE
Date: Sunday, May 16
Time: 1:00 p.m. EST
Starting Pitching
KSU: LHP Ryan Kennedy (6-1, 4.333 ERA)
LIB: RHP Trey Gibson (7-3, 3.10 ERA)
Live Stats
LAST TIME OUT
The Kennesaw State baseball team is hoping to taste victory before its postseason run begins, as the squad is on a four-game losing streak.
The Owls will have a chance to right the wrongs of last weekend, after the Liberty Flames took all three games in the series in Lynchburg, Va.
REMEMBERING "SHAKE"
Prior to Friday's game, the Owls will commemorate their home stadium's namesake with a moment of silence for Fred Stillwell.
A fervent supporter of all things Kennesaw State, the man known by his friends as "Shake" sadly passed away on February 13 at the age of 95.
The 2005 inductee to the Kennesaw State University Athletic Hall of Fame cemented his legacy on the KSU campus with his financial contributions, which included new lights to the Owls' baseball and softball stadiums and dedication of the Howard Logan Stillwell Theater to his father.
SO LONG SENIORS
In the leadup to Saturday's matchup, Kennesaw State will honor the team's seniors and graduates.
13 players will walk on the field to receive a plaque memorializing their contributions to the school and the program.
The group of athletes to be honored are as follows: Alex Carballo, Jake Coro, Brison Finney, Andrew Grogan, Trevor Hillhouse, Garrett Hodges, Monty Horn, Ryan Kennedy, Terence Norman, Jake Rice, Anthony Rodriguez, Tyler Simon, Malik Spratling and Luke Torbert.
TERRIFIC TYLER TOLVE
KSU backstop Tyler Tolve has a statline that any player would be envious of, but the sophomore looks even more impressive when you look at his numbers in conference play.
The catcher has started in every one of Kennesaw State's 18 ASUN games, deployed in left field when he's not behind the plate.
The Sprayberry High School alumnus is hitting for an ineffable .407 batting average in those 18 games, racking up 33 hits in his 81 at-bats; that's the fourth-best rate in the conference. He is currently on a nine-game hitting streak.
With his four home runs and 19 RBIs, the ASUN Preseason All-Conference selection's .630 slugging percentage ranks sixth in the conference.
Tolve hopes to wrap up his season in magnificent fashion this weekend, as the Marietta, Ga. native currently sits in the ASUN's total RBI standings with 42.
RICE'S REIGN CONTINUES
Despite a small stumbling block last Friday, KSU ace Jake Rice still reigns among the elite pitchers of the ASUN Conference.
The transfer from Presbyterian College is level with two Liberty pitchers with a league-leading eight wins in 2021. Only five pitchers in college baseball possess more victories.
Rice's 1.70 ERA not only leads the ASUN, but is the 18th-best average in the nation.
The leftie from Birmingham, Ala. will have an opportunity to get that ERA even lower this Friday, as Rice gets set for the final regular season start of his college career.
WE'RE NOT DONE YET
While the home series against Liberty was originally slated to close out the Owls' regular season, the coaching staff announced an additional game against Wofford for Tuesday, May 18.
The final game of the campaign will be played at 3:00 p.m. in Kennesaw, Ga.'s Stillwell Stadium.
IMPORTANT PARKING INFORMATION
For Kennesaw State fans attending the games this weekend, parking will be available on the campus's East Deck from the third deck and higher.
Keep an eye out for signs in front of East Deck for directions about parking.
