April 15, 2008

KENNESAW, Ga. - The Kennesaw State softball team will look to move back above the .500 mark in Atlantic Sun Conference play when the Owls play host to in-state foe, Mercer, on Wednesday afternoon at Bailey Park. First pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. and all the action can be viewed on A-Sun TV.

The Owls (29-15, 7-7 A-Sun) stopped a season-long six game losing streak with doubleheader sweep of Belmont on Saturday afternoon. Freshman Jessica Cross smacked a solo homer for the only run in the Black and Gold's 1-0 win in game one and then hit her 11th longball of the season to propel KSU to an 8-0, five-inning victory in the nightcap. Senior Brittany Matthews returned to her normal form as she recorded her 18th win of the season with a four-hit, nine-strikeout complete game shutout to start the double dip.

Cross entered the circle for game two and was as dominant as she was from the plate, fanning three Bruins batters while allowing four hits in the five innings of work.

KSU will be attempting to secure head coach Scott Whitlock's 1,000th career victory during the pair of games Wednesday. The Owls' skipper enters the showdown with an overall record of 999-186 in his 17th year at the helm of the Kennesaw State softball program.

Mercer enters Wednesday's showdown after dropping a doubleheader to Lipscomb on Saturday afternoon. The Bisons won game one, 4-2, before taking the finale, 11-3, in five innings.

The Bears are 29-17 overall in head coach Mike Raynor's second year at the helm and have gone 9-6 in league play with three more conference doubleheaders to be played.

Mercer comes into the intra-state match-up in the middle of the conference in hitting with a .270 average. Infielder Jamie Madruga leads the squad and league as the senior from Warner Robins, Ga. is hitting at a .450 clip with 17 doubles, 40 runs batted in and an .847 slugging percentage. Outfielder Holly Oglesbee is the only other Bears hitting over .300 with a .375 average and 24 RBI.

Two pitchers have logged the majority of the time in the circle for the Bears in 2008. Freshman Jenni Holtz has seen the most work, appearing in 118.1 innings while recording a 2.07 earned run average en route to being named the A-Sun Pitcher of the week twice this season. Georgia Tech transfer Lacey Richardson has also seen a lot of work, going 102 innings with a 3.32 ERA and 99 strikeouts.

The Owls will close out their seven game homestand on Thursday afternoon with a single game against Jacksonville State at 6:30 p.m., before heading to Campbell for a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at 2:00 p.m.