Kent State University
University of Louisville
Softball Continues Historic Start at Red & Black Classic
2/26/2016 10:49:00 AM | Softball
Red & Black Classic Tournament Central
The Kent State softball team returns to action at the Red & Black Classic this weekend in Louisville, Ky. The Golden Flashes are scheduled for five games, including two each against host Louisville and North Dakota State. Both teams received votes in the pre-season national polls.
Follow the Flashes
Kent State Softball will make its season debut on the Golden Flashes iHeart Radio channel, as Jacob Pavilack will be on the call for four of this weekend's five games. Live stats will be available for all five games. Additionally, video streaming is available for purchase for both games vs. Louisville.
Weekend Schedule
Friday, February 26
3:00 p.m.     Louisville – Live Stats  Audio  Video (fee)
Saturday, February 27
11:00 a.m.   Cleveland State – Live Stats  Audio
5:00 p.m.     North Dakota State – Live Stats Â
Sunday, February 28
1:00 p.m.     North Dakota State – Live Stats  Audio
3:00 p.m.     Louisville – Live Stats  Audio  Video (fee)
Flashes in the National Polls
Kent State's terrific play early in the season has caught the attention of at least one voter in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 poll, as the Golden Flashes received one point in this week's poll.
Historic Start
Kent State's 9-1 record matches the 1990 team that reached the Women's College World Series for the best 10-game start in program history. A win Friday vs. Louisville would set a record for the best 11-game start. The Golden Flashes won their first seven games of the season, which was the third-longest unbeaten streak to start the season in program history. The Flashes went 5-0 at the FGCU Kickoff Classic for the first unbeaten opening weekend since 2007.
Interim head coach Eric Oakley is off to the best start of any first-year coach in program history. Oakley won his first seven games, setting a new record for first-year coaches. Laurel Wartluft has the highest-winning percentage by a first-year head coach (.875), leading the Flashes to a 21-3 record in 1977. Sue Lilley Nevar's 23 wins in 1986 are the most by a first-year head coach.
Sweep, Sweep
Kent State was rewarded for its great play during the opening weekend of the season with both recipients of the first set of Mid-American Conference weekly awards. Ronnie Ladines was named MAC East Pitcher of the Week for the second time of her career, while Arika Roush earned her first MAC East Player of the Week recognition.
Ace in the Hole
Junior Ronnie Ladines (6-0) has been dominant every time she has thrown for the Flashes this season. Ladines has been named MAC East Division Pitcher of the Week by the conference and MAC Player of the Week by College Sports Madness in each of the first two weeks of the season. She is among the national leaders with six wins (4th) and two shutouts (5th) while also leading the MAC with a 0.80 ERA and .163 opponent batting average. Ladines recorded Kent State's only save of the season and has 41 strikeouts to just 3 walks in 35 innings. She has also found early success at the plate with hits in 6 of 18 at-bats, 2 doubles and 5 RBIs.
Fresh Faces in the Outfield
Senior Arika Roush finished the 2015 season as the starting rightfielder, but has moved to center field to lead an inexperienced group of outfielders that has been productive early for Kent State. Roush was named MAC East Player of the Week following the opening weekend of the season and leads the Flashes with 12 hits, 2 triples and a .528 on-base percentage. Additionally, she is second on the team with a .414 batting average and 8 RBIs.
Freshmen Bailey Brownfield and Jen Cader have joined Roush in the outfield. Brownfield, who began her career with an 8-game hitting streak, leads the Flashes with 10 RBIs and has a .367 batting average.Â
Grimm Joins Century Club
Junior Maddy Grimm drove in three runs during the opening weekend to give her become just the fourth Kent State player with at least 100 career RBIs. Grimm, who set a school-record with 54 RBIs a season ago, now has 104 RBIs and is on pace to become the all-time leader at some point this season. Jessica Carmichael (2008-11) is the current recordholder with 132.
Two of her RBIs have come on solo home runs to give her 34 career round-trippers. Grimm crushed 19 homers last season, breaking the record of 13 that she tied during her freshman season. She needs just two home runs to tie the school record, which is shared by Carmichael and Jamie Fitzpatrick (2005-08).
First-Timers
Last weekend at the Upstate Invitational, junior Brooke Dodson and freshman Bailey Brownfield both hit the first home run of their collegiate careers.Â
Depth Behind the Dish
Kent State's quartet of catchers had a terrific weekend at the plate last week, going 10-for-19 with two home runs and five RBIs. Erika Warren hit 4-for-10 and drove in three runs. She provided the winning hit with a two-run homer in Sunday's 2-1 win over host USC Upstate. Brooke Dodson, Paige McCrary and Nicole Teefy added two hits each.Â
On Deck for the Flashes
Kent State will play five games at the Husky Classic in Seattle, Wash. March 4-6.
