Schedule Roster Pete D''Amour Interview

KENNESAW, Ga. – After 10 years as an assistant coach at the University of Missouri, Pete D'Amour is ready to begin his first season as head coach of the Kennesaw State softball program.
 
Since being named to the position on Sept. 16, D'Amour has been busy assembling a staff, getting to know his players and establishing a culture that he anticipates will set the framework for success.
 
Following fall workouts and spring practice, D'Amour and his staff will have the opportunity to see how that work has paid off when the Owls open their 2017 season Friday (Feb. 10) in the Phyllis Rafter Memorial Tournament at Bailey Park.
 
Kennesaw State, which returns 15 players from last year's team that posted a 30-28 overall record and has added nine newcomers to the roster, begins its season against Saint Louis at 3 p.m. before playing South Carolina State at 5:30 p.m.
 
"Kennesaw State is a sleeping giant. Marietta, Kennesaw and this area is a hotbed for softball," D'Amour said. "With the Hope Scholarship, the weather, facilities, unbelievable campus, and friendly people, this is a good place to be.
 
"The brand of softball that we look to play is blue collar, business-like, but we like to have fun, too," D'Amour added. "There is a balance we need to have to be successful and we're reaching that balance. We'll have fun, we're going to win, we're going to play the right way, and strive to improve."
 
Highlighting the list of returners for the Owls are a trio of seniors in utility player Taylor Denton, catcher Courtney Sutter and pitcher Logan Viers, all of whom earned all-conference honors a year ago..Denton and Viers were named to this year's preseason all-conference team.
 
Denton, Kennesaw State's season and career stolen base leader with 32 and 62, respectively, is coming off a solid 2016 campaign in which she batted a team-best .324, scored 28 runs, and set the single-season stolen base record. She enters her senior season with a .343 career average, 100 runs scored, 167 hits and 46 RBIs.
 
Sutter, who ranks among the program's top 10 in career home runs with 21, started all 58 games a year ago, batted .271 and led the Owls with eight home runs and 31 RBIs.
 
Viers is coming off a career season in which she established personal-highs for appearances (42), games started (40), complete games (4), innings pitched (170.0) and strikeouts (124) en route to posting a 14-11 record and 1.65 ERA that ranked second in the ASUN Conference.
 
Kennesaw State was picked to finish third in the ASUN Conference in a vote of the league coaches. ASUN Tournament champion USC Upstate was selected first after receiving six first-place votes. Regular-season winner Florida Gulf Coast finished second and received one first-place vote.
 
"I think the ASUN is a good softball conference, a warm-weather conference and everybody's close and within driving distance," D'Amour said. "There are good coaches in this league and I am excited to compete against them."
 
The Owls will play a 56-game schedule that includes 36 home contests, including three tournaments.
The home slate is also highlighted by games against 2016 NCAA Tournament participant Jacksonville State (Mar. 18), defending ASUN Conference Tournament champion USC Upstate (Apr. 1-2), conference regular-season champion Florida Gulf Coast (Apr. 22-23), and the annual Lexi's Day Game versus Georgia Tech on April 5.
 
Kennesaw State will face five teams (Georgia, Illinois, Jacksonville State, Samford, USC Upstate) who advanced to the 2016 NCAA Tournament and one team, Georgia, that reached the Women's College World Series a year ago. The Owls will host Illinois (Feb. 25) and Jacksonville State in doubleheaders, and will travel to Samford (Feb. 21) and Georgia (Mar. 1).
 
"It's a challenging schedule, but the best part of our non-conference schedule is most of our games are at home so our kids can stay in class longer," D'Amour said. "They're not traveling as much so they'll be more rested for the conference season."
 
The schedule includes nine games against opponents who advanced to postseason play a year ago, and 12 teams that posted winning records.
 
Kennesaw State opens its 18-game ASUN Conference schedule on Mar. 25 when it visits Stetson in a three-game series in DeLand, Fla. Florida Gulf Coast will close out the Owls' home regular season schedule.
 
Kennesaw State concludes its regular season with a three-game series (April 29-30) at Lipscomb in Nashville, Tenn. Lipscomb's Draper Diamond at Smith Stadium will also be the host facility for the ASUN Conference Tournament that runs May 11-14.
 
To keep up with the latest Kennesaw State softball news follow the team on Twitter @KSUOwlNation and @KSUOwlsSB or by liking Kennesaw State University on Facebook.
   
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

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