Several Flashes Contribute in Saturday Sweep at Kentucky Tournament

Saturday, March 22

Lexington, Ky.

10:00 a.m.

Kent State University

13-11

Fairfield University

2-10

Kent State

Fairfield

Lauren McNeil

Several Flashes Contribute in Saturday Sweep at Kentucky Tournament

3/22/2014 4:57:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Facing the possibility of dropping below .500 for the first time, Kent State responded by winning both games Saturday at the Kentucky Tournament to improve to 14-11 on the season. The Golden Flashes opened the day with a dominant 7-0 win over Fairfield and recovered from a bad first inning to defeat Saint Francis (Pa.), 8-3.

"We had two great team victories today," said head coach Karen Linder. "A lot of girls contributed in both games. We had a much better day offensively and were able to put hits together and runs on the board throughout the day. Lauren McNeil and Ronnie Ladines both did a nice job of battling all day and Erika Warren did a good job of adjusting to the strike zone in her pitch calling."

Senior Lauren McNeil (3-2) threw one of the best games of her Kent State career in shutting out Fairfield to start the day. McNeil recorded a season-high six strikeouts and allowed only three hits in her second complete game of the season.

The Flashes came up with some timely hitting to get on the board in the second inning. Senior Caitie Kilbane came up with a two-out single. Following back-to-back walks, Kilbane came home on a single by junior Kim Kirkpatrick.

Kirkpatrick led off the fifth with a double. After moving to third on a sac bunt, she was able to beat a throw to the plate on a ball hit by freshman Maddy Grimm. A throwing error later in the inning allowed Grimm to score and make it 3-0 Kent State.

A pair of pinch-hitters provided insurance runs for the Flashes in the top of the seventh inning. Senior Kim Morgason found a gap in the outfield for a double that scored two runs and junior Ariele Patterson brought Morgason home with her first home run of the season.

The Flashes faced early adversity in the second game of the day in falling behind 3-0 before recording an out in the top of the first inning. Following a leadoff single and a walk, Alexis Bower hit a shot over wall in left-center field.

Freshman Ronnie Ladines (3-3) settled in after that and did not allow a run the rest of the way as she threw her third complete game of the season. Ladines matched her career-high with eight strikeouts (most in a seven-inning game) while walking just one batter.

Kent State took advantage of a Saint Francis mistake to get on the scoreboard in the second inning. With two outs in the inning, the Saint Francis shortstop made an error on a ball hit by sophomore Lauren Kesterson that allowed sophomore Shelbi Tilton, who doubled to lead off the inning, to score.

A four-run third gave the Flashes the lead. The first three batters of the inning reached to load the bases for Grimm, who doubled down the left field line to score two. Tilton followed with an RBI single up the middle. Two batters later, Grimm scored on a sac fly by Patterson.

"I am so proud of how we came back in the second game, Linder said. "We had key leadoff hits in the second and third innings that led to scoring opportunities."

Kent State added two in the fifth on a single by Patterson that scored Grimm and a triple by Kesterson that scored Patterson. Grimm added a sac fly that scored Kirkpatrick in the sixth inning.

Nine Golden Flashes combined for 20 hits in the two games. Seven players had more than one hit, six had an extra base hit and six had an RBI. Grimm led the way with a 4-for-7 day at the plate with two doubles, four RBI and four runs. Patterson made the most of her three at-bats with two hits and four RBI. Tilton and Kirkpatrick added three hits each.

Kent State will play a rubber match against No. 10/8 Kentucky at 2 p.m. on Sunday to wrap-up play in Lexington.