Kennesaw State (5-5, 0-0 CUSA) vs. No. 8 Georgia (10-2, 0-0 SBC)
Location: Kennesaw, Ga. | Mickey Dunn Stadium at Henssler Financial Field
Tuesday, March 3 at 6 p.m. vs. No. 8 Georgia (ESPN+)
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KENNESAW, Ga. - Kennesaw State baseball faces its highest-ranked foe of the young season when it welcomes No. 8 Georgia to Mickey Dunn Stadium at Henssler Financial Field on Tuesday night.
The Pitching Matchup
RHP Paul Farley (0-0, 7.50) vs. RHP Logan Brock (0-0, 6.75)
Series History
Tuesday marks the 38th all-time meeting between the Owls and the Bulldogs, with Georgia holding a 26-11 advantage in the series. Kennesaw State is in search of its first win over the Bulldogs since March 3, 2021, when the Owls won 6-4 at Stillwell Stadium.
Last Time Out
Kennesaw State dropped a three-game set with No. 20 West Virginia, losing 12-4 on Friday and 9-1 on Saturday before erasing a six-run deficit to stun the Mountaineers, 7-6, on Sunday.
Three Owls pitched in relief, combining to pitch the game's final 7.2 innings. Daniel Powell, Jayden Summerville and Harry Cain surrendered just one run - a solo homer in the sixth inning. The trio of relievers allowed just four hits and three walks in the effort, setting the stage for the comeback. Jackson Chirello and Cooper Williams both clubbed crucial two-run home runs down the right field line to aid in the comeback. Chirello's seventh-inning blast brought the Owls back to within one run while Williams' eighth-inning shot gave the Black and Gold their first lead of the series.
Sunday marked KSU's first win over a ranked opponent since March 9, 2024, when the Owls downed 25th-ranked Kentucky.
Bullpen Stepping Up
Kennesaw State relied heavily on its bullpen throughout the first 10 games of the 2026 season, posting a 5.04 bullpen ERA across 60.1 innings.
Daniel Powell leads the relief corps with five appearances on the year, compiling a 0.73 ERA in 12.1 innings, the second-best ERA among Conference USA relievers. Powell's 0.97 WHIP, .158 batting average against and 15 strikeouts also rank in the top 10 on the CUSA pitching leaderboards .
JT Gibson and Nolan McKinstry both bring a 0.00 ERA into Tuesday's contest, though neither has thrown more than 3.0 innings in 2026.
Davis Harper dazzled in relief of Cooper McMullen on Feb. 27 against No. 20 West Virginia, limiting the Mountaineers' high-powered offense to two unearned runs in 4.0 innings of action. The Atlanta native owns a 4.50 ERA, having only faced ranked opponents to open the season.
Harry Cain slammed the door shut on West Virginia in KSU's come-from-behind 7-6 win on March 1, surrendering just a double in 2.0 innings. The veteran right-hander threw 21 pitches on the day, all for strikes.
An Advanced Look
Cooper Williams leads CUSA with a .556 batting average on balls in play (BABIP), the 58th-best mark in Division I baseball
Four Owls own a weighted on-base average (wOBA) above .400, led by James McGee's .586 mark, followed by Williams (.509), Jackson Bradfield (.488) and Jackson Chirello (.440) Each member of that quartet also owns a weighted runs created plus (wRC+) above 100, which represents league average. McGee leads the way at 203, followed by Williams (164), Bradfield (153) and Chirello (129). Aaron Posey's wRC+ also surpassed 100 after a nice weekend at the plate against West Virginia, now sitting at 108.
Powell holds a 32.6% strikeout rate, the highest among all KSU pitchers, and the fourth-highest K% in the conference, while Nolan Sliver has amassed a 51.9% whiff rate on his changeup, which is the 21st-best mark amongst all DI pitchers who have thrown at least 50 changeups on the season.
Scouting the Bulldogs
Georgia opened the season with a 10-2 mark at home and hits the road for the first time this season.
Led by head coach Wes Johnson, the Bulldogs lead the nation with 38 home runs in 12 games, holding a nine-homer lead over Miami (Fla.) in second place. The powerful offense is complemented by an electric pitching staff that has totaled a 3.00 ERA across 99.0 innings. The Bulldogs have struck out 138 hitters compared to just 37 walks on the young season.
Free Stuff!
In celebration of World Wildlife Day, fans can receive a camouflage "KS" koozie, courtesy of Wellstar, by visiting the marketing table on the concourse.
Parking
Fans attending Tuesday's game should park in the East Parking Deck, adjacent to VyStar Arena, and follow posted signage to the main gate of Mickey Dunn Stadium at Henssler Financial Field. A designated ADA Drop-Off zone is located directly in front of Gate 1, on Kennesaw State Univ. Road.
The Owls Fund
The Owls Fund is the primary fundraising arm of Kennesaw State Athletics with the goal of supporting our student-athletes, coaches and each of our 18 NCAA Division I programs. Through initiatives such as Legacy Lockers, the Dot Martin Scholarship Golf Classic, sport-specific giving opportunities, general donations and season tickets, The Owls Fund connects fans with KSU's programs and student-athletes. Members receive exclusive benefits such as hospitality seating areas and events at Kennesaw State home games, and more. Join The Owls Fund here and discover more opportunities on how you can support Kennesaw State Athletics.
