By: Ryan Henry
Kennesaw State (7-36) vs. Georgia State (24-25)
Location: Kennesaw, Ga. | Bailey Park
Tuesday, April 21, 6:00 p.m.
KSU Game Notes |
GSU Game Notes
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KENNESAW, Ga. – Kennesaw State softball returns to Bailey Park for the second leg of its home-and-home with Georgia State this season. The Panthers took the first contest 9-5 in Atlanta back on March 10.
The Owls are coming off their first-ever matchup against Delaware in Newark.
Hannah Harvey was the highlight of the series, going 4-for-8 with two RBI over the weekend.
Alora Bevily had a three-hit performance with a run scored in the series finale.
Savannah Frachiseur tallied hits in the first two contests, extended her hitting streak to seven games before it got snapped.
Wednesday is KSU's "Gold Rush Game." Fans are encouraged to wear their KSU gold to the game.
Scouting Georgia State
Since these teams last played on March 10, the Panthers have gone 7-16 with a 4-14 mark in conference play.
GSU features one of the most potent offenses in the country, ranking top 20 in Division I with 418 hits. That offense is led by senior McKenzie Walker, who is top five in the Sun Belt in batting average (.400), hits (64), runs (52) and stolen bases (19). Her 19 swipes are only outdone by teammate Maya Bagsby who has 20. She also has 57 hits, which ranks 3rd in the Sun Belt and top 100 in the country.
The Panthers basically have a two-person rotation with Makayla Stephens and Briana Bower being responsible for 93% of the team's innings this season. Stephens is top five in DI with 19 complete games while also being one of four pitchers to have 200+ punchouts this season. Bower has been a good complement to Stephens, having a 4.04 ERA in 126.1 innings.
Series History
Wednesday is the second game of a home-and-home between the Owls and Panthers this season. GSU won the first meeting, 9-5, in Atlanta. These teams played twice at Bailey Park in 2024, with each team taking a game. It will be the 54th all-time meeting between KSU and GSU with the Owls leading the series 28-25.
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 25th in the entire country with 11 runners caught stealing. Howes ranks in the top 10 in CUSA in batting average (.375), OPS (1.149), RBI (38) and homers (10).
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 .358/.397/.642 with nine extra-base hits. Bevily has been a table setter, batting .333 in the leadoff spot with 13 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 has a .358 batting with an OPS over 1.000, ranking ninth in hits (24).
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.
