By: Ryan Henry
Kennesaw State (4-17, 0-3 CUSA) vs. Georgia State (16-9, 0-0 Sun Belt)
Location: Atlanta, Ga. | Bob Heck Softball Complex
Tuesday, March 10, 6 p.m.
Game Notes
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KENNESAW, Ga. – After its first Conference USA weekend series of the year, Kennesaw State softball will take the short trip down I-75 to Georgia State on Tuesday.
Macie Howes opened up conference play with a four-hit outing. It marked a new single-game high for the senior and she joins
Hannah Harvey and
Ava Brooke Strickland in the four-hit club.
In that same 12-inning thriller,
Leah Jannakos tossed 11.1 innings. It's her fifth outing of the year with 7.0+ innings pitched after never doing it her previous two seasons.
Ana Gore had an excellent weekend as well, batting .500 (6-for-12) with four RBI. She recorded her first career triple in second game of Saturday's doubleheader and increased her season batting average from .250 to .294.
Scouting Georgia State
Under second-year head coach Becca Owens, the Panthers have already exceeded their 2025 season win total, going 16-9 in the first 25 games. Georgia State features one of the most potent offenses in the Sun Belt, leading the conference in hits (251), ranking second in batting average (.354) and on-base percentage (.413), and placing third in runs scored (152).
Kennesaw native Makayla Stephens has been GSU's workhorse in the circle. She leads the Sun Belt in innings pitched (93.2), strikeouts (112), complete games (11), wins (12) and WHIP (0.78). Her 1.57 ERA is third best in the conference.
Eight of their nine qualified starting batters have an average over .300 with McKenzie Walker having a slash line of .413/.490/.525 for a 1.015 OPS. Her 33 hits pace the conference. Maia Mumpfield leads the Panthers with 29 RBI.
Series History
The Owls and Panthers have played each other 52 times dating back to 1991 with KSU taking the overall series 28-24. They faced each other three times in 2025, twice at Bailey Park and once in Panthersville, with GSU winning 2-1. The Owls' sole 2025 victory came at the I-75 Challenge back on Feb. 22.
Not in her Howes
Macie Howes has set the tone for the Owls, batting .477 with five homers and 22 RBI this season. Against Chattanooga (2/25), she became the first player since Lexi Solorzano in 2021 to homer in three-straight games. The Louisville native had two three-hit games in KSU's wins over Miami (2/17) and Furman (2/21). Defensively, she's thrown nine base stealers, placing herself second in program history at 32 runners caught stealing. Howes ranks top five in CUSA in OPS (1.328), batting average (.477), on-base percentage (.528), RBI (22) and hits (31).
She's on Fire
Alora Bevily has been lighting it up for the Owls, batting .457 in the last 12 games. She went a perfect 4-for-4 against Furman (2/21), becoming the first Owl since 2024 to tally four hits in a game. Her batting average has climbed from .240 to .373 in two weeks. On the season, she ranks 5th in CUSA in defensive runs saved at +4.01.
Greatest Hits
KSU made history against Furman (2/21), recording a DI-record 20 hits in its 16-7 victory.
Alora Bevily and
Hannah Harvey led the way with four hits each, becoming the first Owls to record four hits since 2024.
Ana Gore and
Macie Howes both had three RBI as Gore is the first player in program history to record two sacrifice flies in the same game. The Black and Gold also swiped five bags in the contest.
Leaning on Leah
The Owls have turned to junior
Leah Jannakos to be the ace in the circle. Her season started off with a bang, tossing 8.0 innings against GW (2/6). She picked up her first win at UNCW, throwing 2.2 scoreless out of the bullpen. Two complete games against Miami (2/17) and Chattanooga (2/25) gave the Black and Gold their first two home wins. Jannakos is the first Owl to win her first four decisions since Lindsey Kyte in 2020.
A New Era
In 2026, the Owls will be led by
Selena Collins-Patterson. She's the seventh head coach in program history and first female to lead the Owls since Medra Ashmore in 1986. Collins-Patterson brings more than 22 years of coaching experience across all levels.
From 2011-13, she served as head coach at Trinity University. She guided the Tigers to a conference championship appearance all three years, receiving the 2012 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Coach of the Year. Under her tutelage, she guided two SCAC Players of the Year and 33 all-conference honorees. A Texas A&M Hall of Fame catcher, Collins-Patterson was a Big 12 Player of the Year, All-American, and team captain.
The Owls round out their coaching staff with the retention of pitching coach
Crystal Hampton, the promotion of
Daisy Hess and the hiring of
Mel Savala.
Leading the Way
Seniors
Macie Howes and
Ava Brooke Strickland have been named captains for the 2026 season. Howes has been a steady presence behind the dish, earning the program's first All-Conference USA honor last year, being named to the second team. Coming to KSU in 2025, Strickland made her impact on the Owls from day one, starting 32 games as a corner outfielder.
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.
