By: Ryan Henry
Kennesaw State (7-33, 3-15 CUSA) vs. Delaware (23-19, 11-7 CUSA)
Location: Newark, Del. | Delaware Softball Diamond
Game 1: Friday, April 17, 5:00 p.m.
Game 2: Saturday, April 18, 3:00 p.m.
Game 3: Sunday, April 19, 12:00 p.m.
KSU Game Notes |
UD Game Notes
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KENNESAW, Ga. – After hosting No. 13 Georgia in front of the second-largest crowd at Bailey Park, Kennesaw State softball will head up to the 302 to face Delaware for the first time in program history.
Trailing by as many as seven runs, the Owls rallied and got the go-ahead runner up to bat, but ultimately fell to the Bulldogs, 7-5, on Wednesday night.
Ana Gore had a three-hit night with two runs scored and
Savannah Frachiseur extended her hitting streak to five games, recording the first multi-hit game of her career.
Scouting Delaware
The Blue Hens are tied for fourth place in CUSA with a conference record of 11-7 and an overall mark of 23-19. They have three players batting over .300 on the season. 2025 CAA Player of the Year Sydney Shaffer has adapted to CUSA, ranking third in homers at 13 with the second-best OPS at 1.288. Fellow senior Katie Scheivert joins Shaffer with 10+ homers and 30+ RBI. Freshman Allie Nankivell leads the team and is seventh in the conference with a .398 batting average.
UD's rotation, which ranks second in CUSA and is 44th in the entire country at 215 punchouts, is headlined by Josie Crossman. The Cumming, Ga. native is 11-8 with 92 strikeouts in 113.2 innings. Three other pitchers have thrown 40+ innings with Claire Woods having the seventh-best opponent batting average in CUSA at .235.
Series History
As one of the two newest members in Conference USA, Delaware will be facing Kennesaw State for the first time in program history.
Not in Her Howes
Macie Howes has been the engine for the Owls this season. After becoming the first player since 2021 to homer in three-straight games back on Feb. 25, she homered in three-straight contests again from March 29-April 3. She had a 19-game on-base streak, which was the longest among CUSA players and 6th-longest among all mid-major players. Defensively, she's 20th in the entire country with 11 runners caught stealing. Howes ranks in the top five in CUSA in OPS (1.221) and RBI (38). Her .400 batting average is sixth in the conference.
If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It
The outfield of
Ana Gore (LF),
Ava Brooke Strickland (CF) and
Alora Bevily (RF) has started every game this season. The trio is the only one in Conference USA to have started every game in the outfield. Gore has elevated her game in conference play, posting a triple slash of .407/.446/.729 with nine extra-base hits. Bevily has been a table setter, batting .333 in the leadoff spot with 12 multi-hit games. Strickland has set single-game highs in hits and runs.
Gore Sure
After a stellar freshman season in 2025,
Ana Gore has found her groove in conference play. In the month of March, she batted .392 (20-for-51) with 11 RBI. She homered in back-to-back plate appearances in the Owls' win over Sam Houston on March 21. She followed that performance with a 3-for-3 day with two doubles and two RBI. In CUSA games, she sixth in hits (24) and has an OPS above 1.100.
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. Ane 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.
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.
