Julien Benjamin, Staff Writer
After what can only be described as a miraculous turnaround, which saw the Kennesaw State Owls baseball team reach the midway point of the season at 13-18, only to finish the year 40-24, Head Coach Mike Sansing will look to repeat some of last year’s success.
Despite losing key players to the draft, namely Max Pentecost and Justin McCalvin, the Owls retain a large part of the nucleus that propelled the team to a Super Regional’s appearance. KSU will return five of their eight everyday position starters, starting with two-year veteran shortstop Kal Simmons.
With the departure of Pentecost, the slick-fielding Simmons is now the new leader of the team, and he has the numbers to prove it. Simmons hit .272 for the season, en route to earning a selection to the All-Atlantic-Sun Conference Second Team.
Simmons’ double play partner, sophomore Cornell Nixon also returns to solidify the middle of the infield defense for KSU. His strong performance in the stretch run of the season, as well as in the NCAA tournament helped to spotlight the potential he has long been touted of achieving.
Recently anointed captain, senior Chris McGowan, will yet again solidify first base and likely hit in the middle of the order again for KSU. He hit .272 last season, and finished second behind Pentecost in home runs and RBIs.
Brennan Morgan, who primarily DH’d last season, will catch a significant amount this season, and outfielders Alex Liquori and Jacob Bruce will return to their respective corner outfield spots. All three are now upperclassmen, and the two outfielders are returning after posting strong performances in the Cape Cod League, a summer league that is a showcase for the best talent at the collegiate level.
The offense is not alone in returning the majority of their core. KSU’s pitching staff, which finished third in the conference with a 3.47 ERA, returns their entire starting rotation, namely rising sophomores Gabe Friese, who finished sixth in the conference in ERA among qualifying pitchers at 3.19, and Chris Erwin, who posted a 3.16 ERA over 44 innings.
Kennesaw’s bullpen will experience turnover from last season, having lost established closer and set-up men Justin McCalvin and James Connell to the draft. The two relievers were the only consistent throwers for Coach Sansing out of the bullpen last year, and their loss will be significant. The most experienced relievers out of the bullpen will be senior Will Solomon and junior Cole McArthur, who had rather disappointing results in the 2014 season.
Kennesaw added six freshmen pitchers, namely Logan Hutchinson, a four-year starter out of Lowndes High School in Valdosta, Georgia, who posted a 1.62 ERA, with 61 strikeouts in his final season.
Other newcomers include catcher Griffin Helms, who hit .343 with four home runs in his varsity career at Norcross High School. Grant Williams and Matt Mixon complete the new freshmen class, adding two new infield prospects that can compete for the third-base job.
Kennesaw State will open their 2015 season Friday, Feb. 13, facing Liberty University, home at Stillwell.
