Kennesaw State (14-10, 5-4 CUSA) at Mercer (21-7, 2-1 SoCon)
Location: Macon, Ga. | OrthoGeorgia Park at Claude Smith Field
Tuesday, March 31 at 6 p.m. (ESPN+)
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KENNESAW, Ga. - Kennesaw State baseball wraps up its five-game road trip at Mercer on Tuesday night, looking to capture a sixth-straight win.
Probable Starters
- RHP Cole Royer (1-0, 16.88 ERA) vs. RHP/INF Braydon Kersey (1-0, 5.79 ERA)
Last Time Out
Kennesaw State kept its winning ways going, earning a sweep of Delaware in a key Conference USA series for both teams.
Despite colder temperatures and heavy winds throughout the weekend, KSU outscored the homestanding Blue Hens, 26-13, over the three-game set. The Owls scored in the top of the first inning in all three games, taking 2-0 leads on Friday and Saturday and a 4-0 advantage on Sunday. Kennesaw State never trailed in the series.
Reliable Backstops
KSU's everyday catching duo of
James McGee and
Aaron Posey has quietly produced strong starts to the 2026 season. Posey enters the weekend hitting .333 (16-for-48), slugging six doubles and three home runs.
McGee also has started strong, hitting .328 (22-for-67) with six doubles and a five home runs in 23 appearances. The McDonough, Ga., native leads the team with 21 RBIs.
Defensively, the duo has controlled the running game effectively, allowing 15 stolen bases in 24 attempts (.625). McGee leads with seven caught stealings, while Posey has thrown out two runners.
Finding His Friday Night Form
Cooper McMullen has found his rhythm, going 2-0 with a 2.11 ERA (5 ER/21.1 IP) across his last four starts. The Georgia Tech transfer allowed one run over 5.0 innings in the CUSA opener at Middle Tennessee before throwing 5.0 shutout innings against Liberty on March 20. Each of his March starts lasted at least 5.0 innings with three or fewer runs allowed.
In conference play, McMullen owns a 0.90 ERA (1 ER/10 IP) and is one of three starters with a sub-1.00 ERA through two league starts.
Death, Taxes and Daniel Powell
Right-hander
Daniel Powell has delivered on preseason expectations after being named to the NCBWA Stopper of the Year watch list. In a team-high 10 appearances, Powell owns a 1.98 ERA, ranking among the top 45 qualified Division I pitchers and fifth in Conference USA.
He has limited baserunners effectively, posting a 0.99 WHIP and a .169 batting average against, both among the best marks in the conference.
The Cain Train Rolling
Redshirt senior
Harry Cain has posted a 3.74 ERA in nine appearances while holding opponents to a .185 batting average. His best outing came March 20 against Liberty, when he threw 4.2 innings with a career-high nine strikeouts. He allowed two runs, both in the 10th inning, but struck out eight of the first nine batters he faced.
Milestone Watch
Jackson Chirello hit the 48th double of his career on March 7 versus Samford, ranking fifth in Kennesaw State's Division I history. The D-I era record is 57 doubles set by
Donovan Cash from 2022 to 2025, while the all-time program mark is 69 by Clint Watters from 2001 to 2004.
Chris Cole enters the midweek with 49 career stolen bases, third in KSU's Division I era and fifth all-time, needing seven steals to move into second in the D-I rankings.
The Champions Fund
The Champions Fund is a newly created, 100% tax deductible, philanthropic opportunity to contribute strategic revenue to Kennesaw State Athletics, with the goal of strengthening our ability to recruit and retain top-tier talent in this new era of collegiate athletics. Contributions to the Champions Fund will help aid in funding student-athlete recruitment and retention, as well as helping the Owls provide competitive excellence through investments in coaching, travel and facilities. The fund will also give an elevated student-athlete experience, including enhanced academic, nutrition, wellness and leadership programs. Donate to the Champions Fund here and help us support our Kennesaw State Owls.
