By: Ariana Page
Kennesaw State (0-0, 0-0 Conference USA) at the NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic
Location: Clearwater, Fla.
Friday, Feb. 7 @ 1 p.m. – vs. #20 Northwestern
Friday, Feb. 7 @ 4 p.m. – vs. Iowa
Saturday, Feb. 8 @ 3 p.m. – vs. Penn State
Saturday, Feb. 8 @ 6 p.m. – vs. Pittsburgh
Sunday, Feb. 9 @ 1 p.m. – vs. #10 Texas Tech
Series Game Notes: Click here
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CLEARWATER, Fla. – Tripp MacKay leads the Black and Gold into his seventh season, commencing with the NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic on Friday, February 7, 2025, in Clearwater, Fla. to kickstart their first season in Conference USA.
What's Ahead
The Owls travel to the Sunshine State to face a tough tournament schedule as they are slated to play five Power Four teams, two of which are ranked in the NCAA Top 25. The opening pitch will be against #20 Northwestern at 1 p.m. on Friday, followed by Iowa at 4 p.m. to close out the day. KSU will continue the weekend on Saturday when they face off against Penn State at 3 p.m. and Pittsburgh at 6 p.m. The Owls will finish off the weekend on Sunday with #10 Texas Tech at 1 p.m.
Series History
The Owls will be creating series history against ranked opponents #20 Northwestern and #10 Texas Tech, making these matchups a blank slate for both teams. Against Iowa, the series history is brief, with the Owls trailing 0-1. They also trail Pittsburgh 0-1, looking to even the score this weekend. The Owls have a more extensive history with Penn State, but the Nittany Lions hold a commanding 4-1 lead in that series. Despite the historical dominance from Penn State, the Owls will aim to replicate their 2020 victory.
Milestone Watch:
- Ty Hardeman: 151 games played, 150 games started
- Madison Miller: 23 stole bases
- Ava Guzowski: 6 sacrifice flies, 4 home runs, 26 RBIs
- Kenley Hilleary: 228.0 innings pitched, 212 strikeouts
On Deck
The Black and Gold will return home to host a series of three home tournament for the next three consecutive weekends. The Owls will kick off their home slate with a lone game on Feb. 12 against Georgia Tech at 6 p.m. before opening up the Kennesaw State Tournament on Feb. 14.
Admission is free to all Kennesaw State softball home games in 2025.
