Friday, April 11
Kent, Ohio
1:00 p.m.
Kent State University
vs
Eastern Michigan University
Photo by: David Dermer
Softball Set for First Home Weekend of 2014
4/10/2014 2:49:00 PM | Softball
Kent State will play four games at the Diamond at Dix this weekend as Mid-American Conference play continues with a pair of two-game series against Eastern Michigan and Central Michigan.
The Golden Flashes will play at the Diamond at Dix for the first time this season when they host Eastern Michigan in a doubleheader scheduled for 1 p.m. on Friday. Kent State will then host Central Michigan for a single game at 2 p.m. Saturday and another single game against the Chippewas on Sunday at 1 p.m. to conclude the weekend.
Flashes Earn PNC Wagon Wheel Challenge Point
Kent State went on the road and used a pair of late-inning rallies to sweep Akron last weekend and earn a point in the PNC Wagon Wheel Challenge standings.
On Saturday, the Flashes came away with an 8-3 win after exploding for seven runs in the top of the sixth inning. The Flashes pounded out five hits in the frame, with senior Abbey Ledford's grand slam providing the exclamation mark. Kent State's inning was helped by production from a pair of pinch-hitters—freshman Janel Hayes and sophomore Michele Duffy. Hayes tied the game with a single and Duffy followed with a double. Junior Kim Kirkpatrick put the Flashes ahead for good with a triple that scored a pair.
Freshman Ronnie Ladines pitched a gem on Sunday, allowing just one unearned run on four hits to keep the Flashes within striking distance. Despite collecting just two hits for the game, freshman Maddy Grimm provided all of the offense needed with a three-run homer in the sixth. Ladines then retired the final six batters she faced to preserve the 3-1 victory.
Weather Conditions Force Schedule Changes
Weather has not been kind to the Golden Flashes of late, as three of their last five series have been canceled. Kent State was forced to move its home games on the opening weekend of MAC play to Akron's Lee R. Jackson Field due to unplayable field conditions as the Diamond at Dix, making this the first time the Flashes have been able to play on their home field this season.
Offensive Leaders
Infielder Maddy Grimm has might an immediate impact in her first collegiate season. Grimm rank 3rd in RBI, 5th in slugging percentage and 6th in home runs among all Division I freshmen. She has driven in 35 runs to match the Kent State freshman record and is within striking distance of the single-season mark of 48 (Jessica Toocheck, 2008). Her 10 home runs are one off the freshman record and three from the single-season mark. Additionally, Grimm leads the Flashes with a .319 batting average, 23 runs and 13 walks.
A pair of upperclassmen in senior Abbey Ledford and junior Kim Kirkpatrick has also helped power an improved Kent State offense. Ledford has six doubles, three home runs and 11 RBI to ranks second on the team in each category. She is hitting a team-best .429 with three doubles and a home run during conference play. Kirkpatrick leads
Junior Ariele Patterson has stepped up in recent weeks. Patterson is hitting .333 with five runs and five RBI over the last 10 games.
Pitching Leaders
Junior Emma Johnson (8-7) leads Kent State' staff with a 2.31 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 91.0 innings in the circle. Opposing teams are hitting just .216 against Johnson, who has thrown complete games in half of her 14 starts and has tossed a pair of one-hit shutouts.
Freshman Ronnie Ladines (4-4) hurled her fifth complete games of the season on Saturday. Ladines owns a 2.33 ERA and has 23 strikeouts over her last three starts. Senior Lauren McNeil (3-2) has made the majority of her 13 appearances this out of the bullpen. The senior has two saves and a 2.39 ERA in 38.0 innings of work.
Opponents
Eastern Michigan (9-24, 0-6 MAC)
Central Michigan (22-10, 3-1 MAC)
Series History vs. Opponents
On Deck for the Flashes
Kent State continues its 8-game homestand at the Diamond at Dix next weekend against Toledo and Bowling Green.
The Golden Flashes will play at the Diamond at Dix for the first time this season when they host Eastern Michigan in a doubleheader scheduled for 1 p.m. on Friday. Kent State will then host Central Michigan for a single game at 2 p.m. Saturday and another single game against the Chippewas on Sunday at 1 p.m. to conclude the weekend.
Flashes Earn PNC Wagon Wheel Challenge Point
Kent State went on the road and used a pair of late-inning rallies to sweep Akron last weekend and earn a point in the PNC Wagon Wheel Challenge standings.
On Saturday, the Flashes came away with an 8-3 win after exploding for seven runs in the top of the sixth inning. The Flashes pounded out five hits in the frame, with senior Abbey Ledford's grand slam providing the exclamation mark. Kent State's inning was helped by production from a pair of pinch-hitters—freshman Janel Hayes and sophomore Michele Duffy. Hayes tied the game with a single and Duffy followed with a double. Junior Kim Kirkpatrick put the Flashes ahead for good with a triple that scored a pair.
Freshman Ronnie Ladines pitched a gem on Sunday, allowing just one unearned run on four hits to keep the Flashes within striking distance. Despite collecting just two hits for the game, freshman Maddy Grimm provided all of the offense needed with a three-run homer in the sixth. Ladines then retired the final six batters she faced to preserve the 3-1 victory.
Weather Conditions Force Schedule Changes
Weather has not been kind to the Golden Flashes of late, as three of their last five series have been canceled. Kent State was forced to move its home games on the opening weekend of MAC play to Akron's Lee R. Jackson Field due to unplayable field conditions as the Diamond at Dix, making this the first time the Flashes have been able to play on their home field this season.
Offensive Leaders
Infielder Maddy Grimm has might an immediate impact in her first collegiate season. Grimm rank 3rd in RBI, 5th in slugging percentage and 6th in home runs among all Division I freshmen. She has driven in 35 runs to match the Kent State freshman record and is within striking distance of the single-season mark of 48 (Jessica Toocheck, 2008). Her 10 home runs are one off the freshman record and three from the single-season mark. Additionally, Grimm leads the Flashes with a .319 batting average, 23 runs and 13 walks.
A pair of upperclassmen in senior Abbey Ledford and junior Kim Kirkpatrick has also helped power an improved Kent State offense. Ledford has six doubles, three home runs and 11 RBI to ranks second on the team in each category. She is hitting a team-best .429 with three doubles and a home run during conference play. Kirkpatrick leads
Junior Ariele Patterson has stepped up in recent weeks. Patterson is hitting .333 with five runs and five RBI over the last 10 games.
Pitching Leaders
Junior Emma Johnson (8-7) leads Kent State' staff with a 2.31 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 91.0 innings in the circle. Opposing teams are hitting just .216 against Johnson, who has thrown complete games in half of her 14 starts and has tossed a pair of one-hit shutouts.
Freshman Ronnie Ladines (4-4) hurled her fifth complete games of the season on Saturday. Ladines owns a 2.33 ERA and has 23 strikeouts over her last three starts. Senior Lauren McNeil (3-2) has made the majority of her 13 appearances this out of the bullpen. The senior has two saves and a 2.39 ERA in 38.0 innings of work.
Opponents
Eastern Michigan (9-24, 0-6 MAC)
- Eastern Michigan is the only MAC team without a win in conference play. The Eagles have lost 3 straight and 8 of the last 9 overall.
- The Eagles have been outscored 46-18 in 6 MAC games this season.
- EMU ranks last in the MAC in batting average (.221) and 11th in runs per game (3.09). The Eagles have scored 1 or fewer runs in 14 games.
- OF Michelle Kriegshauser leads EMU in hitting with a .304 batting average, 8 doubles and 2 home runs.
- INF Amanda Stanton has driven in 17 runs on the season and is tied for the team lead with 2 home runs.
- P Lindsay Rich (4-12) has been the primary pitcher for the Eagles, throwing 106.0 innings on the season. Rich has 60 strikeouts and a 5.42 ERA.
Central Michigan (22-10, 3-1 MAC)
- Winners of the 2013 MAC Tournament, Central Michigan was projected repeat as conference champions prior to the season.
- The Chippewas enter the weekend on a 7-game winning streak after sweeping a doubleheader with Oakland on Wednesday.
- 3B Trista Cox has been CMU's top hitter on the season. Cox is hitting .378 and slugging .673 with 7 home runs and 23 RBI to rank among the top 10 in the MAC in each category.
- C Cory DeLamielleure has also showed some pop in her bat with 1 team-best 10 doubles to go with 4 home runs and 18 RBI.
- Pitchers Rachael Knapp, Chelsea Sundberg and Morgan Yuncker have each won 7 games on the season.
- Knapp (7-2) has a team-best 1.91 ERA and 88 strikeouts in 69.2 innings. Sundberg (7-6) leads CMU with 80.0 innings.
Series History vs. Opponents
- Eastern Michigan: 47-30
- Central Michigan: 36-44
On Deck for the Flashes
Kent State continues its 8-game homestand at the Diamond at Dix next weekend against Toledo and Bowling Green.
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