It's officially opening day for Rutgers Baseball as they are down south to take on Kennesaw State in a three game weekend series that starts with a double header on Friday.
Now the Scarlet Knights come into this season with a bunch of new faces, as the large majority of their roster consists of newcomers via the Transfer Portal and High School Recruiting. The program as a whole is looking to bounce back after a not so great 2024 season, where they finished 28-25 on the year.
The Owls however are coming in with NCAA Tournament aspirations after just missing it last year. Kennesaw State was one game away from winning the ASUN Conference last season and they hope to get over the hump this year.
With all that being said, let's take a look at everything you need to know for this weekend series.
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KENNESAW STATE OWLS
Kennesaw State is led by their head coach, Ryan Coe, who’s in his fourth season in charge of the program.
The Owls pitching staff will be led by junior right-handed pitcher Braden Osbolt and the Peach State native is coming off a productive sophomore season where he posted a 5-2 record with a 4.48 ERA and struck out 51 batters in 70.1 innings pitched. He was also named to the All-Atlantic Sun Third Team last year.
Sophomore left-handed pitcher Ryan Gold will get the start for the Kennesaw State Owls in the second game of Friday’s doubleheader. He pitched for the University of Georgia last season, but only made two appearances in total.
In the series finale, junior right-handed pitcher Nolan Silver will get the nod. He made 21 appearances and three starts last season, while posting a 2-3 record with a 4.13 ERA, a .246 opponent batting average, and struck out 38 batters in 48 innings pitched.
As for the Kennesaw State offense, they return their leading hitter from last season in senior outfielder Chris Cole. He slashed .345/.463/.427 with 38 hits, seven doubles, a team-high 17 stolen bases, and a .890 OPS.
Another name to watch for the Owls is outfielder Cam Suto. The Division II transfer put up monster numbers at Lee University, batting .393 with 20 home runs and 60 runs scored. He has made a big jump from the DII level, but his bat is unquestioned. Two other Owls to watch in this weekend's series are Donovan Cash and Jackson Chirello.
RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS
Rutgers Baseball is hoping to begin their 2025 season on the right foot. The Scarlet Knights will be led by their head coach, Steve Owens, who now enters his sixth season at the helm of the program.
Rutgers pitching staff will have a brand-new weekend rotation this year, led by redshirt-freshman right-handed pitcher Justin Shadek who got the opening game nod. Shadek missed all of last season with an injury, but has shined in the fall and spring scrimmages.
In the second game of Friday’s doubleheader, freshman right-handed pitcher Landon Mack will start for the Scarlet Knights. He was a blue-chip prospect in the Class of 2024 and should make an immediate impact for the Scarlet Knights as their No. 2 pitcher.
In the series finale, Rutgers will hand the ball to junior left-handed pitcher Preston Prince. The Niagara transfer was a huge addition for the Scarlet Knights in the Transfer Portal this offseason. While his numbers don’t look great overall, Prince is a talented pitcher and if he can get his control down and throw more strikes, he could be a top-tier Big Ten pitcher.
The Scarlet Knights offense will also have a bunch of brand-new faces, as they lost most of their production from 2024 to the MLB Draft or Transfer Portal. Sophomore first baseman Ty Doucette looks to lead the team once again. Last season, he slashed .321/.388/.556 with 52 hits, 11 doubles, nine home runs, and a .944 OPS.
Junior outfielder Trevor Cohen is another returner who was very productive last year, slashing .324/.400/.406 with 67 hits, eight doubles, three triples, 24 walks, and a .806 OPS.
Two other Rutgers hitters to watch this weekend are outfielder Peyton Bonds and catcher Matt Chatelle.
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