KENNESAW, Ga. – The first four-game series of the season takes place versus Samford starting Feb. 28 with a Saturday doubleheader.
Friday, Feb. 28
Matchup: Kennesaw State Owls (3-6, 0-0 Conference USA) vs. Samford Bulldogs (3-5, 0-0 SoCon)
Time: 4 p.m. CT / 5 p.m. ET
Site: Joe Lee Griffin Field -
Birmingham, Ala.
Live Stats | ESPN+
KSU Probable Starter: #17 RHP
Braden Osbolt
Samford Probable Starter: #23 LHP Miller Riggins
Saturday, March 1 (Doubleheader)
Matchup: Kennesaw State Owls (3-5, 0-0 Conference USA) vs. Samford Bulldogs (3-5, 0-0 SoCon)
Time: 1 p.m. CT / 2 p.m. ET - 4 p.m. CT / 5 p.m. ET
Site: Joe Lee Griffin Field -
Birmingham, Ala.
Game One: Live Stats | Game Two: Live Stats
KSU Probable Starter: TBA |
Game Two: #36 LHP
Ryan Gold
Samford Probable Starter: #24 RHP Cameron Keshock |
Game Two: #45 RHP Noah Berry
Sunday, March 2
Matchup: Kennesaw State Owls (3-6, 0-0 Conference USA) vs. Samford Bulldogs (3-5, 0-0 SoCon)
Time: 1 p.m. CT / 2 p.m. ET
Site: Joe Lee Griffin Field -
Birmingham, Ala.
Live Stats | ESPN+
KSU Probable Starter: #14 RHP
Nolan Sliver
Samford Probable Starter: #16 RHP Josh Leerssen
Note: All 2025 game dates and times are subject to change and will take place at S. Walter Kelly Sr. Memorial Field in Marietta, Ga.
Series History
The all-time series favors the Bulldogs by just one game 10-9 but the Owls will get their first shot at Samford in the
Ryan Coe era. The Black and Gold have dropped the last three games by an average margin of 1.5 runs. KSU is amid a 14-game road stretch, the longest in the program's D-I history.
Patience At The Dish
Collectively, patience has been a virtue for KSU at the plate as they lead Conference USA and are 27th in the country in walks (53). Leading the way for the Owls is
Donovan Cash as he has already registered a jaw-dropping 11 walks in nine games. His 11 walks are enough to lead CUSA as well and fall 17th in the NCAA.
Madness In Marietta
Saturday's win over reigning Ivy League Champion Columbia was packed full of drama, with KSU walking it off via the wild pitch in a 10-9 ninth-inning victory. A five-run final inning completed the largest comeback since March 22, 2022, when the Owls overcame seven runs from UNF. It's the second-largest comeback of the
Ryan Coe era. They did so with patience and aggression at the plate with four base knocks (three doubles) and three straight free passes (walk, hit by pitch and wild pitch) in the ninth inning. Freshman catcher
James McGee entered as a pinch hitter in the ninth and lined a double down the left field line, scoring
Chris Cole and marking McGee's first collegiate hit.
Punches In Bunches
The stat sheet will tell much of the story for the Owl's turnaround in the last two games versus Columbia, they collected a plethora of hits and runs. Over the final 18 innings of the series, KSU posted 25 hits and 17 runs. The Black and Gold registered 15 hits in Sunday's battle versus Columbia, maintaining a perfect record in the
Ryan Coe era. Since he began in 2022, KSU is now 20-0 when racking up 15 or more hits in a single game.
Anderson's Career Day
Sunday against Columbia not only secured the Owl's first series win of the season but it showcased an astounding performance from outfielder
Nate Anderson. The lefty pounded his second homer of the season as he lifted a three-run shot over the right field fence, solidifying the win for KSU. Earlier in the game, he ripped a triple, scoring two runs and creating a five RBI day, a career-high for the redshirt senior. It's the first time since Nick Colina on Feb. 19, 2023 that an Owl collected a triple and a home run in the same game as he fell just one double shy of hitting for the cycle.
Bright Spots In the Bullpen
Among all of the arms from the pen last weekend, there were a few that had show-stopping performances.
Ty Bayer tossed his first collegiate winning performance as his line read: 4.1 IP, six strikeouts and one hit allowed, sustaining life for the Owls in the cornerstone Saturday win.
Harry Cain was lockdown in Sunday's win, pitching three innings without allowing a a run. The hard-throwing reliever showcased his power on the mound with three punch outs and only one hit allowed. Finalizing the series win was preseason All-CUSA selection
Bo Rhudy. The sophomore earned his second save of the year recording the final eight outs, and striking out six Lion batters.
The Cole Continues to Burn
Center fielder
Chris Cole has been the poster child of "picking up where you left off" this season. The junior has slashed a team-high .361 Avg. and five stolen bases. He recorded the first triple of the season versus No. 8 Georgia while also being the first Owl to reach 10 total bases. Cole ended the '24 campaign with a team-high .345 average.
First Of Many
In the first square-down of the season, KSU defeated Rutgers 5-3 on the back of a five-run seventh inning. It marked not only the first win of the season but also the first win as a member of CUSA for the Owls. KSU knocked off a BIG10 opponent for the first time since they defeated Michigan in 2023.
Back In The Fold
Returning to KSU are three studs in the field with
Chris Cole,
Jackson Chirello and
Shamaar McDuffie. Cole paced the Owls last season with a .345 average, knocking on the door of top 10 all-time in program history in a single season. Outfielder
Jackson Chirello ended the '24 campaign with a .290 average and 49 hits, along with an Atlantic Sun All-Tournament team bid. ASUN All-Freshman member
Shamaar McDuffie is back to anchor down shortstop in his sophomore season. The sure-handed infielder turned 25 doubles plays while leading the team with 140 assists.
Substituting The Sluggers
The Owls will seek to replace the production of five graduating seniors in
Brayden Eidson,
Nick Hassan, Issac Bouton,
Zac Corbin and
Spencer Hanson. Those five stars produced 55% of total bases, 53% of the team's hits, 51% of runs scored and 30 of the 45 Owl home runs. Four of the five hitters registered averages above .300 and an OPS beyond .833 while all five players combined for a .316 batting average, .877 OPS and earned three postseason Atlantic Sun awards.
S. Walter Kelly Sr. Memorial Field
For the duration of the 2025 season, Kennesaw State will be returning to Marietta, Ga. as they will play at S. Walter Kelly Sr. Memorial Field for the first time in 10 years. With Mickey Dunn Stadium still under construction, the Owls will return to their roots as the field served as the home to Southern Polytechnic baseball from 1975-2014. Recent upgrades have been made to the historic field including improved lights, dugouts and much more. S. Walter Kelly (1896-1973), a WWI Navy veteran, was a vital part of brokering the land deal that allowed STI to move to Marietta from its initial location, a repurposed Army base in Chamblee, DeKalb County.
Slated for '25
Kennesaw State's first season in CUSA comes with a slew of impressive opponents. The Owls will face five 2024 NCAA Regional squads in Georgia, Georgia Tech, West Virginia along with CUSA foes Dallas Baptist and La. Tech. KSU will face 12 teams who registered an above .500 record last season, featuring eight of the first 10 opponents. They will leave February playing only one below .500 team. Four futures foes registered a Top-50 RPI.
Fantastic Freshman Class
The Owls staff aren't the only ones who are excited about the current freshmen class,
Perfect Game recognized KSU with the 44th-best recruiting class in the country. They are ranked as the best class in CUSA, pacing FIU at 51st, while they are also just one of three conference teams in the top 100. The program ranks well in the state of Georgia, ranking well above in-state rivals Georgia Southern (76), Georgia State (71) and Mercer (57).
Perfect Game listed three Owls in its "Top 500 Fresh Arrivals on Campus," with
Ty Bayer (210),
Nolan McKinstry (423) and
Ethan Osada (471).
No Donuts At Home
Inside the friendly confines of Stillwell Stadium, Kennesaw State baseball had not been shutout in 186 home contests - the fourth-longest streak in the nation. KSU was last shutout at home on Feb. 27, 2018. The Owls have not placed a zero on the home scoreboard under head coach
Ryan Coe.
Respect The Name
During the fall,
D1Baseball declared the Owls as the 85th-best program in the country.
D1Baseball releases its "Top 100" every few years with the last rankings coming in 2022, 2019, 2017, 2015. It's the Owls highest ranking and the last ranking since 2005 when they were tabbed 86th.
Monster on the Mound
Returning to the mound in his newfound Friday night role is junior
Braden Osbolt. In 14 starts in '24, the right-hander posted a 5-2 record with a 4.48 ERA and 51 punchouts. He proved to be a vital part of the upset over No. 10 Clemson as he pitched six scoreless innings with seven strikeouts. He impressed in conference play as he received an ASUN Pitcher of the Week award and an All-Atlantic Sun Third Team postseason spot.
New In The Nest
Supplementing the existing core of the team are 17 newcomers, including 12 freshmen and five transfers. Coe and the Owls brought in six freshmen arms ranging from Hiram, Ga. to Dana Point, Calif. Highlighting the freshmen position players is Wes Alig, a winner of the Mr. Baseball Award of Tennessee in 2024. Lee University transfer
Cam Suto is returning home after spending three seasons with the Flames after graduating from Sprayberry High School in Marietta. The infielder posted 40 home runs over his career in Cleveland, Tenn.
Drop-Off
There is quite a bit of familiarity with the Owls through the first month and a half of the season as they have at least one game played versus the first eight opponents. Through the rest of the season, KSU will face eight opponents for the first time in program history including six first-time CUSA matchups.
To keep up with the latest on the Kennesaw State baseball team, follow the team on Twitter @KSUOwlNation and @KSUOwlsBaseball or by liking Kennesaw State University on Facebook and Instagram.
