By: Michael Pitts
Kennesaw State (8-16, 0-0 ASUN) at Austin Peay (11-9, 0-0 ASUN)
Location: Cathi Maynard Park – Clarksville, Tenn.
Friday, Mar. 17 at 7:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. CT
Saturday, Mar. 18 at 4:00 p.m. ET/3:00 p.m. CT
Sunday, Mar. 19 at 1:30 p.m./12:30 p.m. CT
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Leading Off
Kennesaw State softball is set to open ASUN Conference play Friday, Mar. 17 for game one of three against the Austin Peay Governors in Clarksville, Tenn.
Third baseman Taylor Cates enters the three-game set after being named ASUN Player of the Week Monday. Cates went 9-fo-20 during the period with six extra-base hits, 11 RBI and 18 total bases.
The Owl senior can break the Kennesaw State Division I record for consecutive games played on Sunday with her 164th-straight start. The mark will surpass Jessica Cross' (2008-11) record of 163 games.
KSU went 12-12 against ASUN competition a season ago, including 9-3 in conference games at Bailey Park.
The Owls enter this weekend after sweeping North Dakota in two games at the UCF Round Robin last weekend.
Fans can catch the action on ESPN+.
A Familiar Foe
Friday marks the eighth all-time meeting between Kennesaw State and Austin Peay but the first as conference foes.
KSU is 5-2 in the series with the Governors taking the last contest 9-1 on Feb. 11, 2017. The last win for the Owls came on Mar. 7, 2015 in an 8-2 win inside Bailey Park.
This weekend also marks the first time the Owls will travel to Clarksville, Tenn. in program history.
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Pitcher Laura Bishop Talks with KSU Owl Network
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Circle of Gems
The final week of February was highlighted by incredible performances in the circle from Kennesaw State pitchers. On Feb. 24 vs. Indiana State, freshman Kenley Hilleary took a no-hit bid into the seventh inning and finished with 10.0 innings pitched, five hits and one earned run allowed with a career-high 11 strikeouts.
Hilleary struck again on Feb. 26 at No. 11/7 Alabama with a complete-game four-hitter allowing only three earned runs as KSU upset the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, Ala. It marked the Owls' first win over a ranked opponent since Feb. 14, 2015 vs. No. 5/6 Kentucky. Between the two games, Hilleary threw 302 pitches and collected both ASUN Pitcher of the Week honors and a national "Selected Top Performances" mention by the NFCA.
On Feb. 28 vs. Samford, Bennett pitched 9.0 innings of shutout ball with 13 strikeouts and only one earned run as KSU defeated Samford, 1-0. It marked the senior's 50th career complete game, becoming only the second Owl in KSU's DI history to achieve the mark (Brittany Matthews, 2006-08).
KSU's pitching clinics continued Mar. 7 at Georgia Southern when Hilleary pitched 5.0 innings with 10 strikeouts allowing only four hits and zero earned runs in the Owls' 5-0 win. Bennett pitched the final two innings, getting three strikeouts of her own and earning the save – the first Owl to collect a save in 2023.
A New Staff
MacKay added two new assistants to his staff over the summer, Peejay Brun and Brea Dickey. Brun brings over 20 years of collegiate coaching experience to Kennesaw State, having most recently been the head coach of UT Arlington. Dickey makes her return to KSU as one of the most decorated softball players in program history as a career .364 hitter with 135 hits and a .953 OPS. They join MacKay and volunteer assistant/pitching coach Crystal Hampton.
Shining in the ASUN
Cates was the only member of the team to be named to the ASUN Preseason All-Conference team this season. A season ago, she finished tied for the conference lead in homers (19) and slugging percentage (.857), as well as second in average (.390) and seventh in RBI (48).
The Owls were picked to finish third in the conference behind 2022 champion Liberty and Central Arkansas. KSU travels to Lynchburg, Va. for a three-game set with the Flames March 31-Apr. 2.
On Deck
The final game of KSU's 10-game road trip is set for Wednesday, Mar. 22 at against the Georgia Bulldogs in Athens, Ga. First pitch is set for 7:00 p.m. on the SEC Network.
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.
