PREVIEW: Missouri State at Kennesaw State

KENNESAW, Ga. (Interstat) — Missouri State seeks a three-game sweep of Kennesaw State on Saturday evening in a Conference USA matchup at Fred Stillwell Stadium.

The Bears (32-17) have taken the first two games of the series by identical 5-3 scores, winning Thursday and Friday. Missouri State can complete the sweep in the series finale, scheduled for a 6 p.m. first pitch. The forecast calls for clear skies and 75 degrees.

Missouri State right-hander Brock Lucas is scheduled to start. Lucas enters with a 32-17 record and has been effective over his last two outings, throwing a combined 13 innings while allowing one earned run and striking out nine. On Friday, he earned the win with 6 2/3 innings of scoreless ball, scattering no hits and striking out four.

Kennesaw State (24-26) counters with Cooper McMullen, who started Friday’s game and took the loss despite a solid outing: 6 innings, 6 hits, 2 earned runs and 4 strikeouts. The Owls are trying to avoid a sweep after winning two of three against Sam Houston last weekend.

The Bears have been strong offensively in the series, with shortstop Logan Fyffe going 2-for-5 with a home run and three RBIs in Friday’s win. Reliever Max Knight added 2 1/3 scoreless innings with four strikeouts.

Kennesaw State’s Charlie Jones homered and drove in two runs on Friday, while reliever Ryan Renfroe threw 2 1/3 innings of one-hit, scoreless relief.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a 6-5 Kennesaw State victory, though the ELO system gives Missouri State a 53.4 percent probability of winning.

The series finale will determine if Missouri State leaves Kennesaw with a sweep or if the Owls can salvage a win in the Conference USA matchup.