Flashes Complete 5-0 Weekend With Win at Marshall
3/7/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
HUNTINGTON, W. Va. - Behind four home runs, including two from freshman Lauren Grimes, Kent State defeated host Marshall 8-4 Sunday in the final day of the Holiday Inn-vitational. Senior pitcher Kylie Reynolds improved to 3-0 on the weekend, while the Golden Flashes (6-9) went 5-0 at the three-day tournament.
"Today was a big win and the entire weekend was a huge confidence boost for the whole team," Head Coach Karen Linder said. "All phases of the game were there and we kept fighting to win games. We came through in the clutch offensively and defensively. It was exciting to see offensive production come from the entire lineup."
Grimes hit a solo shot in the top of the first, while Mary Holt smacked a solo homer of her own in the second to give KSU a 2-0 lead. Leah Archual led off the third with an infield single and Grimes followed with her second longball in as many at bats.
Trailing 4-0 after three, Marshall got on the board with a solo homer of its own in the fourth. The Thundering Herd added two more in the fifth, taking advantage of a walk and a hit-by-pitch. Reynolds got herself out of trouble in the fifth with a strikeout, finishing with eight on the day.
"Kylie did a great job of keeping her composure when Marshall responded to our runs," Linder said. "She stopped Marshall a few times when they were threatening to score."
Seventh-inning singles by Archual and Grimes helped set up a Jess Blanton grand slam to seal the victory.
The Golden Flashes return to action March 20-21 at the Radford Highlander Classic in Radford, Va.
