Flashes lose to #25 Hawaii, 4-2
3/2/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Kent State lost 4-2 to #25 ranked Hawaii at the Hawaii Tournament in Honolulu, Hawaii on Thursday (3/1) evening.
Senior pitcher Brittney Robinson (LaGrange, Ohio/Keystone) dominated the Rainbows for the first five innings striking out 10 while allowing one hit. In the sixth, Hawaii parlayed a single and two walks into a bases loaded situation with two outs. Barndi Peiler worked the count full before blasting a grand slam to leftfield turn a 2-0 Golden Flashes' lead into a 4-2 Hawaii advantage.
Kent State took a 2-0 lead in the top of the fifth when Robinson reached on an error. Junior shortstop Jessica Toocheck (Medina, Ohio/Medina) singled to left to put runners on first and second. Classmate Corey Houk (Hebron, Ohio/Lakewood) hit a double to left to score Robinson. On the play Toocheck was thrown out at home and Houk moved over to third. Junior first baseman Jamie Fitzpatrick (Cartersville, Ga./Woodland) smacked a single to right to score Houk.
KSU threatened in the top of the seventh when Toocheck coaxed a two-out walk out of Jessica Morton. The Golden Flashes' threat ended with a fly ball to right.
“I was happy with the number of runners we got on base today,” said head coach Karen Linder. “Unfortunately, we left too many runners on versus Hawaii.”
Linder also praised the efforts of the pitchers, Kent State's defense, and the hitting of Corey Houk. “Today, our pitchers did a great job,” Linder said. “We also played solid defense. Corey had a great day at the plate. She had a couple of big hits today that helped us win the first game and take the lead versus Hawaii.”
Earlier on Thursday, Kent State defeated St, Mary's College (Ca.) in the opening game of the tournament for the Golden Flashes 3-1.
Hawaii won its 13th game of the season.
Kent State (6-3, 0-0 MAC) will battle the University of Oregon at 3 p.m. eastern time and the University of Georgia at 7 p.m. eastern time on Friday (3/2).
