By: Michael Pitts
Kennesaw State (16-30, 7-11 ASUN) at Bellarmine (4-39, 1-17 ASUN)
Location: Knights Field - Louisville, KY
Game One: Friday, Apr. 28 at 4:00 p.m. ET
Game Two: Saturday, Apr. 29 at 1:00 p.m. ET
Game Three: Sunday, Apr. 30 at 12:00 p.m. ET
Leading Off
The Kennesaw State Owls softball team travels to Louisville, KY for three games against the Bellarmine Knights to close out the 2023 regular season road slate.
KSU enters the weekend after taking down Samford on the road Wednesday 8-4 in 13 innings, headlined by yet another incredible outing from freshman pitcher Kenley Hilleary.
Fellow freshman Stella Henry went 3-for-6 with three runs scored, leading the Owl offensive attack.
Henry is second on the team with 38 hits this season.
In the Owls' last meeting with the Knights, Melanie Bennett collected the save in a 6-5 KSU victory.
A Familiar Foe
Kennesaw State is 5-0 all-time against the Knights including sweeping a 2021 three-game series by a combined score of 17-6.
The Owls are 3-0 against Bellarmine in conference games.
The Iron Woman
Cates has been a staple in the Kennesaw State lineup during her career. On Sunday, Mar. 19 at Austin Peay, Cates surpassed Owl legend Jessica Cross with her 164th consecutive game played for the most in Kennesaw State DI history. In the Owls' next contest against No. 17/16 Georgia, the Canton, Ga. native surpassed Cross again - this time for most consecutive starts in KSU DI history, also with 164.
Circle of Gems
One of the main themes for KSU softball in 2023 are stellar performances by the Owl pitching staff.
Feb. 15 vs. Mercer – The Owls shutout Mercer behind 4.0 innings of two-hit ball from Lindsey Kyte. Melanie Bennett entered in relief and collected her 400th career strikeout.
Feb. 19 at Troy – Bennett struck again for the Owls against the Trojans with a three-hit complete game in the circle as the Owls won 1-0.
Feb. 24 vs. Indiana State – Freshman Kenley Hilleary made a name for herself in the Bama Bash, starting with a 10-inning complete game allowing only one earned run and five hits. She notched a then-career-high 11 strikeouts with 180 pitches thrown.
Feb. 26 at No. 7/6 Alabama – KSU's wire-to-wire upset of the Crimson Tide was led by Hilleary's four-hit complete game. She had four K's in the circle and the win marked her first collegiate victory. Hilleary won ASUN Pitcher of the Week honors.
Feb. 28 vs. Samford – Another 1-0 win for the Owls with Bennett in the circle featured a nine-inning complete game from the KSU ace. She allowed only four hits with a commanding 13 strikeouts in the shutout.
Mar. 7 at Georga Southern – Hilleary crushed it again for the Owls, pitching 5.0 innings allowing no runs with only four hits. She struck out half of the batters she faced, tallying 10 total on the evening – including two punchouts in each inning of work.
Mar. 10 vs. North Dakota – Laura Bishop led the charge in KSU's run-rule win over UND. She pitched a five-inning complete game with zero earned runs and only five hits allowed to Fighting Hawk batters to secure her first win of 2023.
Mar. 24 vs. Eastern Kentucky – Bennett earned her 50th career win with five innings of work and seven strikeouts in the Owls victory.
Mar. 25 vs. Eastern Kentucky – Hilleary dominated yet again with her fourth complete game allowing only one hit and one run in 28 batters faced as the Owls took a 2-1 win to earn the series victory over the Colonels. Five of her strikeouts came in the first four innings of the contest.
Apr. 16 at Jacksonville – Bennett ended the JU series on a high note, striking out six in a seven-inning complete game one-hitter against the Dolphins. It marked the third one-hit complete-game of her KSU career in the Owls' 6-0 victory. She set the KSU DI career record for complete games with 56.
Apr. 26 at Samford – Hilleary entered in relief in the fourth inning and proceeded to crush the Samford bats. She pitched 10 innings with a career-high 15 strikeouts while allowing only four hits and one earned run. She threw 142 pitches, 101 of which were strikes. She earned her sixth win of 2023 in KSU's 8-4 defeat of the Bulldogs in 13 innings.
On Deck
The 2023 regular season concludes with a three-game set against FGCU beginning Friday, May 6 at 2:00 p.m. inside Bailey Park.
Fans can catch the action on the KSU Owl Network and admission is free to all 2023 KSU softball home games.
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.
