Flashes Looking for Seventh MAC Sweep at Buffalo
4/24/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Winners of 14 of their last 15 conference games, the Kent State University softball team (31-9, 14-2 MAC) will make its final league road trip this weekend (April 25-26) taking on the University at Buffalo. The Golden Flashes have outscored opponents 63-23 in MAC play.
• After a 4-5 start, the Golden Flashes have won 28 of their last 33 games.
• Kent State's RPI ranking was 33rd according to the NFCA's latest estimations. The Flashes also received two votes in this week's Ultimate College Softball Top 25, one of 11 schools on the Others Receiving Votes list.
• KSU is 11-4 in true road games this season. Since 2007, the Golden Flashes are 16-2 in conference road games.
• Opponents are averaging just 1.67 runs per game against Kent State this season. The Golden Flash pitching staff ranks 16th in the nation with an ERA of 1.37, while the defense holds a .970 fielding percentage, ranking 27th in the nation.
• Since Feb. 23, Gabe Burns is 12-3 with two saves, while Kylie Reynolds is 15-2 with three saves. Burns (1.22) and Reynolds (1.41) rank first and second in the MAC in ERA.
Last Time Out- Kent State settled for a split vs. Penn State Wednesday at the Diamond at Dix. The Golden Flashes pounded 10 hits and three homers in a 9-2 game one victory before falling 2-0 in extra innings.
Jamie Fitzpatrick's three-run first inning blast set the tone for the KSU offense in game one, while Gabrielle Burns shut down the Nittany Lion offense for seven innings in game two. The difference was Penn State's Jackie Hill, who tossed a two-hit shutout.
Kim Hamilton and Corey Houk joined Fitzpatrick with game one homers, while Jessica Toocheck ripped an RBI triple.
Kylie Reynolds threw her 15th complete game and struck out 13, to improve to 17-4 on the year. She surrendered two runs in the third after going 41 consecutive frames without allowing an earned run.
Reynolds also made a relief appearance in game two and struck out both batters she faced, but not before Penn State scored twice in the eighth. After Burns was nearly flawless for seven innings, the Nittany Lions finally got to her with a one-out, bases loaded single. In her first seven innings, Burns permitted just four hits, two of which stayed in the infield and did not allow a run.
The Opposition
Buffalo- The Bulls recently split a pair of conference games with Ball State over the weekend. Buffalo outlasted the Cardinals 4-3 on Saturday (April 19) at Nan Harvey Stadium. Sophomore Sharon Barr pitched all nine innings for the Bulls and allowed six hits. Senior outfielder Mary Russell belted two doubles in a 3-for-4 day and drove in two. Sophomore outfielder Kristen Gallipani went 2-for-3 with the game-winning homer in the bottom of the ninth. Gallipani went on to earn MAC East Player of the Week honors after launching four home runs on the week. Russell leads the team with eight doubles and 11 stolen bases on 13 attempts. When not in the circle, Barr plays first base and leads the Bulls in hitting (.306) and slugging (.494). She and sophomore Katie Ivancich each have a pair of victories on the year. Buffalo's first conference win of the year came at Ohio. The Bulls have also knocked off Marshall, Canisius and Saint Bonventure in non-league games.
Series History
Kent State holds a 13-4 all-time series lead vs. Buffalo and has swept a pair from the Bulls in each of the past two seasons. Last year, the Flashes traveled to Buffalo and made quick work of the Bulls in game one with a 10-0 victory in five innings. Kylie Reynolds tossed a no-hitter, striking out 13 of the 16 batters she faced. KSU pounded out 12 hits in the opener and 13 hits in game two on the way to a 5-1 victory.
Kim Hamilton, Corey Houk and Amy Hair all went 4-for-7 on the day. Hamilton drove in four runs, while Jamie Fitzpatrick and Jessica Toocheck each homered in the opener.
In 2006, Hamilton belted a pair of homers against the Bulls and scored five runs in two games. Toocheck went 4-for-7 with a home run and four RBI in Kent State's 8-0 and 11-1 victories.
Career Leaders
Jamie Fitzpatrick belted her 34th career home run Wednesday vs. Penn State. She became Kent State's all-time home run leader last season, but two of her teammates follow close behind. Jessica Toocheck is second on the list with 28 homers, while Kim Hamilton is tied for third with 26. Hamilton became KSU's career leader in runs scored this season and brought her total up to 130 on Wednesday. Toocheck is second in runs scored with 125. Toocheck is also second on Kent State's all-time hit list with 191. Fitzpatrick is second on the RBI list with 110, while Toocheck is third with 101 RBI. Hamilton ranks third in career stolen bases with 60. In just her sophomore season, Kylie Reynolds already ranks third on Kent State's career strikeout list with 464 and ninth in victories with 31, recently passing her pitching coach Amy Densevich.
Reynolds Chalks Up Fourth Pitcher of the Week Honor
Kylie Reynolds claimed MAC East Pitcher of the Week honors for the second straight week and the fourth time this season on Tuesday. It was the 12th MAC weekly award earned by the Golden Flashes this season.
Reynolds went 2-0 with a save in three appearances on the weekend, helping the Flashes to sweeps of Ball State and Miami. She did not allow an earned run 18 innings, fanning 29 batters and walking just one.
The right-hander went all nine innings in the first half of a doubleheader sweep of Ball State Friday (April 18) and struck out 14. Later that day, she came on in relief with her team up 3-2 in the sixth and inherited the bases loaded with no outs. She proceeded to retire six straight with four strikeouts and left the bases loaded in the sixth.
Saturday (April 19) vs. Miami, Reynolds allowed just three hits in her 14th complete game of the season and struck out 11. She did not allow a walk in her 16th win of the season. In her eight MAC starts, Reynolds is 8-0 with a 0.50 ERA, four shutouts and 80 strikeouts.
Pitcher of the Week accolades this season have also gone to Markie Pozzuto and Gabrielle Burns (3 times). Teammate Jessica Toocheck earned Player of the Week on two occasions earlier this season, while Jess Carmichael claimed the honor after the opening weekend. Jamie Fitzpatrick took home Player of the Week honors on April 8.
Up Next
In search of their second straight Mid-American Conferece regular season title, the Golden Flashes will close out the conference schedule next weekend, hosting Central Michigan (May 2) and Eastern Michigan (May 3 & 4). Kent State will first visit Cleveland State Wednesday, April 30 for a doubleheader with the Horizon League-leading Vikings.
Team Leaders
Jessica Toocheck is batting a team-high .345 and leads the Flashes with 40 hits, four triples, 33 RBI, 20 walks, a .664 slugging percentage and a .450 on-base percentage. Kim Hamilton is tied with Toocheck with a team-high eight home runs and leads the Flashes with 12 stolen bases on 13 attempts. Jess Carmichael is tied with Hamilton for the team lead in doubles (8). Lauren Brocklehurst leads the squad with 11 sacrifice bunts. The sophomore is hitting .372 in conference play.
Gabrielle Burns carries a league best 1.22 ERA and has allowed just 68 hits in 132.1 innings, ranking sixth in the nation with 3.42 hits allowed per game. Kylie Reynolds has fanned a MAC best 207 batters in 144.1 innings and has a conference high 17 victories on the season. Brocklehurst has made 21 putouts from the outfield without committing an error. Holly Finchum has 26 assists and 17 putouts at second base without an error.
Winning Streaks
From Feb. 17 to March 22, the Golden Flashes won a season-high 10 consecutive games, outscoring their opponents 55-14. During that span, the KSU offense hit .304 with 21 extra base hits. In 70.0 innings, the pitching staff carried an ERA of 1.20 with 101 strikeouts.
The Flashes also had a nine-game winning streak which from March 28 to April 11. Kent State outscored MAC opponents 39-7 during that stretch, had an ERA of 0.80 and a fielding percentage of .976.
Most recently, KSU had a six-game winning streak come to an end Wednesday. Corey Houk went 8-for-19 (.421) during the streak.
| Complete Notes in PDF |
