By: KSU Sports Information
A-Sun Championship Home
KENNESAW, Ga. – The Kennesaw State Owls softball team’s quest for the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament title and bid to an NCAA Regional begins this coming Thursday at 10:00 a.m., when they face the winner of Wednesday’s USC Upstate-Stetson tilt in the A-Sun Championship.
The Owls (30-22, 14-4 A-Sun) are the No. 2 seed in the A-Sun Championship, which is being held for the second consecutive season at Cyrill Stadium on the campus of USC Upstate in Spartanburg, S.C. The Black and Gold shared the A-Sun regular season title with Florida Gulf Coast, but dropped to the No. 2 due to a common-opponents tie-breaker. The Owls and Eagles split their doubleheader on Mar. 7, and each split their twin bills with the No. 3 seed USC Upstate Spartans and No. 4 Lipscomb Bisons. FGCU, however, swept No. 5 Jacksonville, while the Owls split, giving them top seeding heading into the double-elimination event.
Kennesaw State clinched at least a share of the regular title last Saturday afternoon, when they wrapped up their 2012 regular season with a sweep of the in-state rival Mercer Bears. Florida Gulf Coast joined them at the top of the standings on Thursday evening, with two narrow victories over North Florida.
By way of being a top-two seed, the Owls get a bye into the second day of competition. A win on Thursday morning would put them in the first game on Friday, at 12:30 p.m., while a loss to either the Spartans or Bisons puts the Owls right back onto the field for the final game on Thursday, which is slated for 5:30 p.m.
The Owls will be making their third straight appearance in the A-Sun Championship since becoming eligible for NCAA Division I postseason play beginning in 2010. The Championship is open to postseason-eligible teams who finish in the top-six in the A-Sun standings, with an automatic bid to an NCAA Regional being awarded to the winner. Head coach Scott Whitlock’s club also finished in the top-six in 2006, 2007 and 2008, winning the regular season title in 2007, but were still going through re-classification from NCAA Division II to Division I during that time period.
Live video streaming of the entire A-Sun Championship will be available, free of charge, on ASun.tv, the conference’s live-video streaming service. In addition, live audio will be available, free-of-charge, on KSU All Access, at www.KSUOwls.com/Showcase.
