Golden Flashes Defeat Pitt in Rematch to Conclude FAU Invite

Sunday, February 23

Boca Raton, Fla.

1:00 p.m.

Kent State University

6-4

University of Pittsburgh

7-7

Kent State

Pittsburgh

Michele Duffy

Golden Flashes Defeat Pitt in Rematch to Conclude FAU Invite

2/23/2014 5:58:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

BOCA RATON, Fla.—Kent State defeated Pittsburgh, 6-1, in its final game at the Florida Atlantic Invitational on Sunday. Junior Emma Johnson was dominant for the second start in a row as the Golden Flashes avenged a 1-0 loss to the Panthers on Friday.

"This was a good win for us today," said head coach Karen Linder. "Our defense was solid and Emma pitched really well. I'm happy we were able to follow yesterday's performance with a win today."

After knocking off No. 6/5 Kentucky, 3-0, and a tough 1-0 loss in nine innings to No. 5/7 Michigan on Saturday, it would have been easy for Kent State suffer a letdown against Pittsburgh.

But Johnson, the 2013 Mid-American Conference Pitcher of the Year, set the tone from the outset. After retiring the first two batters she faced in the bottom of the first, a fielding error allowed Pittsburgh to get a runner on second. Johnson maintained her composure and got the Panthers' cleanup hitter to foul out. She then retired the side in the second.

Kent State (6-4) made its move in the third inning by taking advantage of Pittsburgh's mistakes. Two walks and an error on a fielder's choice allowed the Flashes to load the bases and extend the inning without a base hit. Freshman Maddy Grimm then cleared the bases with a two-out triple.

Pittsburgh got one of those runs back in the bottom of the inning. A pair of hit batters put a runner in scoring position and Jordan Fannin delivered the Panthers' first hit of the game to bring home a run.

Following a single by Grimm and a walk by sophomore Shelbi Tilton to lead off the sixth inning, senior Kim Morgason moved both into scoring position with a well-executed sac bunt. Sophomore Michele Duffy brought home both with a single down the right field line.

"We had some nice clutch hitting throughout the game," Linder said. "Maddy had a big hit in the third inning with the bases loaded. Then in the sixth, Kim Morgason's sac bunt was big and Michele had a clutch two-RBI single."

Junior Kim Kirkpatrick added her first home run in the seventh inning.

Johnson (4-2) went the distance for the second consecutive day and allowed just three hits while striking out nine. Savannah King (5-4) also went the distance in a losing effort for the Panthers. Just two days after throwing a three-hit shutout against the Flashes, King allowed six runs (three earned) on seven hits while striking out five.

Kent State returns to the diamond with four games at the James Madison Invitational next weekend (Feb. 28-March 1).