KENNESAW, Ga. – The Owls will battle Conference USA's top dog in Dallas Baptist with a chance to leap into first place. The three-game series begins Friday at 7 p.m. ET.
Friday, May 6
Matchup: Kennesaw State Owls (25-22, 14-6 Conference USA) vs. Dallas Baptist (33-12, 16-5 Conference USA)
Time: 7 p.m. ET -- 6 p.m. CT
Location: Horner Ballpark -- Dallas, Texas
Video | Live Stats
KSU Probable Starter: #39
Harry Cain
DBU Probable Starter: #40 Ryan Borberg
Saturday, May 6
Matchup: Kennesaw State Owls (25-22, 14-6 Conference USA) vs. Dallas Baptist (33-12, 16-5 Conference USA)
Time: 4 p.m. ET -- 3 pm CT
Location: Horner Ballpark -- Dallas, Texas
Video | Live Stats
KSU Probable Starter: #23
Ty Bayer
DBU Probable Starter: #6 James Ellwanger
Sunday, May 6
Matchup: Kennesaw State Owls (25-22, 14-6 Conference USA) vs. Dallas Baptist (33-12, 16-5 Conference USA)
Time: 1 p.m. CT -- 2 p.m. ET
Location: Horner Ballpark -- Dallas, Texas
Video | Live Stats
KSU Probable Starter: TBA
DBU Probable Starter: #26 Mason Peters
Series History
This will be the first all-time match-up between the two programs in Division I history. The implications of the series are substantial. The Patriots have the edge in the CUSA standings over KSU, while the Owls seek to jump DBU for first place in the league.
The 42-Hour Game
Friday night's game versus New Mexico State was quite the roller coaster. The Owls were down by six runs straight away, pressuring the bats to beat the NMSU pitching staff and the weather. In the bottom of the ninth inning, down four runs, a torrential downpour engulfed the diamond, suspending play immediately. Due to the constant weather on Saturday, the rest of the game wasn't picked up until Sunday afternoon.
Upon the resumption, the Owl offense captured lightning in a bottle. As one out remained, KSU needed just one run as
Nate Anderson came to bat with two runners on. Anderson uncorked a three-run bomb to right-center field, giving the Owls an 11-9 walk-off win 40 hours later.
West Georgia Wins
Game Two (May 6)
The 17-1 domination signaled the highest run total in a midweek in KSU DI history. Through the first three innings, the Black and Gold had 14 runs on 14 hits. The 17-run total is tied for the highest the Owls have accrued since their 17-6 win over Sam Houston (April 13). It's also the most hits the team captured on the '25 campaign.
Chris Cole hit his first home run (inside the park) since May 2, 2023, versus Georgia. The pitching staff was also exquisite, allowing just two hits, the lowest total since May 5, 2023 against Lipscomb.
Game One (April 15)
For the second time this season, a freshman has earned a walk-off hit in extras to send the Owls to victory as
James McGee's 11th-inning RBI single gifted KSU a 9-8 win over West Georgia. Down four runs on two separate occasions, Kennesaw State battled back with the help of a four-home run showcase from the offense.
Donovan Cash's home run in the third inning signified the 30
th of his career and dethroned Andy Chriscaden's Division-I career home run record of 29. Cash also surpassed Ronnie Freeman's DI career RBI record earlier this season versus La. Tech on the road (March 30). Kennesaw State is now 3-1 in extra-inning games.
Unstoppable
Nate Anderson solidified a historic day in game three against Liberty (April 27) as the lefty batted in eight runs, setting a new all-time program record. The previous record was seven RBI set four times with the most recent occurrence from Griffin Helms against Grambling State on March 23, 2018. He did so on the back of a pair of home runs, including a grand slam to erase a three-run deficit for KSU. It's the third time he has earned four or more RBI this season in a single game and the second time he's had five plus. It's Anderson's first game as an Owl with two home runs in the same game. The outfielder also compiled four runs along with three hits. It's the second time Anderson has swiped four runs in a single contest this year.
Cash in the Book
First baseman
Donovan Cash has methodically worked his way up the D-I career records in KSU history. Most recently, he recorded his 54th double vs. NMSU, notching the top spot in DI career doubles passing Max Pentecost (53). Facing West Georgia, Cash uncorked a two-run shot, signifying his 30th career home run, surpassing Andy Chriscaden's DI career home run record of 29. In game three versus La. Tech, Cash delivered a double to deep center field, scoring a run for the Owls and notching his 152nd career RBI, a new KSU DI program record. Cash broke Ronnie Freeman's previous record of 151 RBI. Another record he shattered was in game three versus FIU, as he surpassed Tyler Simon's record for total bases of 383.
Records Next Up for Cash:
(All-Time) RBI: Bo Counts (190) -- Cash (187)
(DI) Sacrifice Flies: Brennan Morgan (14) -- Cash (12)
(DI) Hits: Jacob Robbins (275) -- Cash (255)
(DI) Single-Season Doubles: Josh Hatcher (26) -- Cash (20)
(DI) Single-Season Home Runs: Cash Young (17) -- Cash (15)
The senior leads Conference USA in doubles and doubles per game while ranking 12th and 23rd in the NCAA, respectively.
Owls in Top Conference USA Ranks
1st:
Shamaar McDuffie -- Sacrifice Bunts (10)
1st:
Donovan Cash -- Doubles (20) | 1st -- Doubles Per Game (0.43)
1st -- Pitching Appearances (21) | 2nd:
Daniel Powell -- Victories (7)
3rd:
Chris Cole -- Walks (35)
4th:
Nate Anderson &
Chris Cole -- Stolen Bases (19)
High Flying Owls
Simply put, when the Owls score in bunches, they win games. Listed below are Kennesaw State's records under the following categories:
This year
When collecting 10+ hits -- 20-3
When scoring 10+ runs -- 12-0
Under Coe
When collecting 10+ hits -- 76-29
When scoring 10+ runs -- 45-4
The Pioneers
On consecutive weeks, Kennesaw State scored the program's first Conference USA Pitcher and Player of the week with
Harry Cain (April 21) and
Nate Anderson (April 14). Cain tied a career-high in innings pitched with seven frames while allowing just two runs and accruing eight strikeouts Friday against FIU. His seven innings tied the longest outing of an Owl pitcher this year. The Owls swept back-to-back conference opponents for the second time in the
Ryan Coe era and the first time in three years (2022). Cain earned his third win of the season and fanned eight Panther hitters, his second-highest single-game tally of the year.
Nate Anderson was awarded Kennesaw State's first Conference USA Player of the Week honor, the conference office announced last Monday. The outfielder nabbed a whopping .462 batting average, 1.611 On-base plus slugging %, 1.000 Slugging % and a .611 on-base %. Anderson tallied 13 total bases on the backs of two doubles, a triple, a home run and five total walks/hit by pitches. He is the first Owl this season to notch a four-hit and four-run performance in the same game (April 12). His impact was not only felt with the bat but also with his feet, as he was a perfect three-for-three in stolen bases.
Lone Star Success
The Owls took to the road and conquered all three games from the Sam Houston Bearkats, scoring 36 runs while only allowing eight. Three separate pitchers for KSU compounded nine strikeouts with
Daniel Powell and
Harry Cain both setting career highs in innings pitched and punch outs. In the series finale, KSU blasted 17 runs, the Owl's largest run total of the season and the most scored in a game since April 27 last year when they took down Bellarmine 21-1. It's the Black and Gold's first Conference USA series sweep in program history.
Home Runs Galore
In game one, the Owls set their season-high in single-inning scoring with a six-run frame to springboard ahead to a 9-2 win Friday night. Two games later, not only did they break the six-run tally but they doubled it with a 12-run inning Sunday afternoon. It was just the second time in DI program history KSU unveiled a 12-run stanza with the previous occurrence coming on April 19, 2023, when they posted 12 runs in the first inning versus Georgia Southern in a 13-9 victory. Supporting the 12 runs were three long balls sent out by Owl hitters -- Also the second time in DI program history. The previous happening was April 11, 2011, when Ronnie Freeman, Andy Chriscaden and Peyton Hart hit three consecutive homers to begin the game over Southern Illinois. The KSU lineup accomplished another substantial feat as they delivered five home runs in the Sunday matchup, tying a DI program record in a single game. The first five-homer game was set versus Belmont on April 1, 2010. Williams, Suto, Anderson and Chirello all left the yard with Chirello registering two jacks.
Strength Of Schedule
According to the NCAA, the Owls have the 33rd hardest strength of schedule in the country out of the 309 Division-I programs. KSU's combined opponent record this season is tabbed at 1223-896, which adds up to a 57.7 win percentage. Just two of KSU's eighteen opponents were below .500 at the time they played them. Prior to the Sam Houston series, Kennesaw State was atop the strength of schedule ranks in the country.
Walk-Off Wes
Freshman
Wesley Alig has already showcased his clutch time DNA with the most recent example being his two-run walk-off home run to defeat Jacksonville State 6-4 in the 11th inning (4/5). The infielder took the first pitch he saw to left-center field, signifying his second extra-inning big fly. His first extra-inning dinger was versus The Citadel (3/15) when he pounded a 10th-inning grand slam to propel KSU to victory. Two of his four homers have been in extras, with three coming in the seventh inning or later.
100 For Our Guy
On March 12 at Mercer, Kennesaw State scored in five-straight innings to defeat the in-state rival. The win marked head coach
Ryan Coe's 100th career victory at the helm - joining his former coach and KSU Athletics Hall of Famer Mike Sansing as the only two to eclipse 100.
Unbeaten No More
The Black and Gold traveled on the country roads during the second weekend of March for their first-ever series against West Virginia. In game two of the series, the Owls entered the ninth down 9-7 before a game-tying blast from
Cam Suto allowed a go-ahead grand slam from
Donovan Cash.
Ryan Renfroe threw the final three innings of scoreless, one-hit ball to slam the door on the Mountaineer offense. The KSU victory ended West Virginia's perfect start to the season of 13-0 and was the only loss of the non-conference season for West Virginia.
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.
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 future foes registered a Top-50 RPI. 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.
No Donuts At Home
Inside the friendly confines of Stillwell Stadium and Walter Kelly Field, Kennesaw State baseball had not been shut out in 200 home contests - the third-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.
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.
