Friday, February 19, 2010

MACON, Ga. – The Atlantic Sun Conference Softball Tournament of the Week features the Second Annual Phyllis Rafter Memorial, taking place Friday through Sunday in Woodstock, Ga. Kennesaw State hosts Mercer and non-conference foes in Alabama State, Middle Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech, Western Illinois, Southern Illinois and Ball State in the three-day event.

The Owls and Bears enter the tournament after picking up two victories each against the South Dakota State Jackrabbits earlier in the week. With bad weather forcing a change in venue, Kennesaw State opened the season with its pair of victories against South Dakota State on Sunday at Bailey Park in the K-Club Classic. The tournament, which had originally been scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, was shortened to just one day. Before the double-header start time scheduled for 4 p.m., the Owls spent the majority of the day helping maintain the field for the four visiting teams that played in the earlier games.

“On Saturday we had gotten about four or five inches of snow, but we had covered the field with the tarp so we came in and used the few shovels that we have and the wheel barrels and we carted all of the snow off of the tarp, which took about 2 1/2 to three hours,” Jenna Closner said. “Our hands were cold and our feet were numb, but it’s just showed how we really wanted to play and how much we take care of our field. It’s something we’ve always been proud of. The other teams were a big help because they helped get snow out of the outfield. It was a long day, but it was very exciting once we got to play.”

In 2009, Kennesaw State finished league play with an overall record of 21-30 and 7-13 mark in A-Sun play and returns nine starters and 12 of 16 letterwinners. Leading the way for the Owls this season will be senior Jenna Closner, redshirt junior Klair Wells and redshirt sophomore Jessica Cross. As the Lady Owls’ starting catcher for the last two seasons, Closner started in 50 of 51 games behind the plate and ended the 2009 season with a .255 batting average, to go along with seven doubles, five homeruns and a team-high .411 slugging percentage.

In 2010, Wells returns as one of only two Lady Owls to play and start in all 51 games as a redshirt sophomore from last season. The Lawrenceville, Ga. native ended her 2009 campaign at four-for-five in stolen bases, a .267 batting average and a .965 fielding percentage. Wells ranked fourth on the team in hitting and led Kennesaw State with 172 at-bats, 46 hits, 29 RBI and two triples in addition to five doubles, four homeruns and 67 total bases.

After redshirting in 2009, Cross returns to action as one of the Lady Owls’ top offensive threats. The 2009 Atlantic Sun Preseason All-Conference Team selection led Kennesaw State with a .441 batting average and an .882 slugging percentage in 12 games, in addition to 15 hits, eights runs, three doubles and four homeruns, before being sidelined with an injury. Not only is Cross a threat behind the plate, but the Tunnel Hill, Ga. native has also been one of the Lady Owls’ best pitchers, striving as both a starter and closer since 2008. Cross ended the 2009 campaign at 2-3 on the mound with a 2.28 ERA, and posted one save in 30.2 innings while holding opponents to a .235 batting average with 21 strikeouts.

Mercer earned it’s victories versus South Dakota State on Tuesday as junior pitchers Jenni Holtz and Kari Chambers limited the Jackrabbits to two runs during the double-header. In game one, Holtz gave up two hits and one earned run, but tallied 13 strikeouts to earn her second win in the young season. In the second game, Chambers claimed her first win after surrendering nine hits and striking out ten Jackrabbits.

In 2009, Mercer finished with an overall record of 40-19 and 14-6 mark in the A-Sun. The Bears return six starters, five pitchers, and 20 of 25 letterwinners. Top pitcher Jenni Holtz earned A-Sun Preseason All-Conference honors after leading the Bears in strikeouts (209), innings pitched (184), wins (21) and ERA (1.56). Holtz earned First-Team All-Atlantic Sun honors in 2009 and collected A-Sun Pitcher of the Week awards twice, on March 23 and April 13.

Top hitter Holly Oglesbee enters the spring after a phenomenal junior campaign with the Bears, earning Preseason All-Conference honors. Oglesbee led Mercer offensively, starting all 58 games with a .309 batting average, 26 RBI, 32 runs scored, 59 hits in her lead-off position and 18 multiple hit games.

Kennesaw State and Tennessee Tech met in the same tournament last season with the Golden Eagles overcoming the Owls in both games. Cross earned all-tournament team honors after hitting a pair of three-run home runs, including a game-tying blast in the bottom of the seventh inning in the first game. Wells joined Cross on the all-tournament team after leading off the fifth inning of the second game with a double to left field and adding to KSU’s tally at 3-2.

“Hopefully I’ll get my hitting back and play some solid defense this weekend,” Cross said. “I think we have definitely improved on hitting and our offensive side from last year. We have been working hard and we’re all excited about this year.”

On March 10, Kennesaw State notched a 1-0 victory against Ball State after the Owls’ sophomore April Harper pitched a six-hit, seven-inning complete game against the Cardinals. On Tuesday, Ball State received three votes in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 ranking. The meeting in Woodstock features the league’s leading pitching staff in KSU after the Owls enter the weekend with a 0.50 ERA in two games, in addition to 17 strikeouts.

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The Atlantic Sun Conference is an 11-member league committed to Building Winners for Life. The A-Sun stands for achievement with integrity in both the academic and athletic arenas, with a focus on the balance between the two for our student-athletes. Headquartered in Macon, Ga., the A-Sun boasts six of the top eight media markets in the Southeast. The A-Sun includes a blend of the most prestigious and dynamic private and public institutions in the region: Belmont University, Campbell University, East Tennessee State University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Jacksonville University, Kennesaw State University, Lipscomb University, Mercer University, University of North Florida, University of South Carolina Upstate and Stetson University.