Softball Looks to Solidify MAC Tournament Seed This Weekend
5/3/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Complete Release
Before the Kent State University softball team (21-23, 9-9 MAC) hosts MAC East champions Marshall University (33-17, 18-3 MAC) this weekend (May 7-8), the Flashes will have a pair of non-conference contests with the University of Pittsburgh (22-24) Tuesday, May 3 in Kent and Cleveland State University (17-23) Thursday, May 5, at Firestone Stadium in Akron.SCOUTING THE PANTHERS: Francesca Dimaria leads Pittsburgh with a .338 batting average with 45 hits, one homer and 14 RBI while pitcher Laura Belardinelli holds a 2.75 ERA and 63 Ks in 124.2 innings. Michelle Phelan (Missouri, 88) has been the head coach at Pitt for eight seasons.SCOUTING THE VIKINGS: Amber Lows paces Cleveland State with a .326 batting clip with 46 hits and 10 runs-batted in while Grace Luginbuhl is the Vikings top ace with a 2.42 ERA and 129 strikeouts. In her ninth season, Julie Jones (Baldwin-Wallace, 92) is the mentor for Cleveland State. SCOUTING THE THUNDERING HERD: Marshall, the top seed in the East, is led by Rachel Folden and Randi Nielson, the reigning MAC East Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively. Folden is hitting .421 with 18 doubles, eight home runs and 50 RBI while Nielson holds an 18-7 record with a 2.07 ERA and 101 Ks. Shonda Stanton (UNC-Greensboro, 95) is in her sixth season at Marshall. SERIES HISTORY: Kent State leads the series with the Panthers (8-0) and the Vikings (34-12) and trails the Herd (13-16) in the all-time series with the respective schools. NORTHEAST OHIO WEATHER: This weeks forecast calls for cooler temperatures to begin the week with but will end with more spring time weather. Tuesday calls for afternoon showers with a high of 49 degrees. Thursday will be partly cloudy with a high of 56 while the weekend with warm up to the low to mid-70s. Information courtesy of www.weather.com.ON DECK: The Golden Flashes will look to be one of the top eight teams to get a bid in the 2005 Mid-American Conference (MAC) Tournament May 11-14 at Firestone Stadium in Akron.
Kent State of Mind - Brynn Libler
Wednesday, April 29
Kent State of Mind: Brynn Libler
Wednesday, April 29
SB 50th Anniversary
Monday, July 21
25 SB HYPE
Friday, July 18
