Golden Flashes Look to Clinch MAC Title vs. Buffalo

The Kent State softball team looks to close out a successful defense of its Mid-American Conference East Division title when it hosts Buffalo at the Diamond at Dix in this weekend's regular season finale. The Golden Flashes and Bulls will play singles games on Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.

Kent State has won eight of its last nine games and is playing some of its best ball heading into next week's MAC Tournament, which will begins on Wednesday at Firestone Stadium in Akron.

Seniors Jessacca Gironda, Caitie Kilbane, Abbey Ledford, Lauren McNeil and Kim Morgason will be recognized following Sunday's game. The quintet has achieved a 3.86 cumulative GPA, which is the highest of any senior class in Kent State softball history.

On the Line
Kent State enters the weekend with a chance at its first MAC regular season title since 2010. With a sweep of Buffalo, the Flashes would clinch its second consecutive MAC East title and have a chance of capturing the overall regular season title.

Ball State (29-16, 9-3) leads Kent State by a game and plays four games this weekend against Central Michigan and Eastern Michigan. If the teams were to finish in a tie for first place, Kent State would receive the top seed in the MAC Tournament due to tiebreakers.

Last Time Out
Kent State took three out of four on its road trip to West Division foes Northern Illinois and Western Michigan. The Flashes bounced back from being shutout for just the third time this season in the weekend opener to NIU by surviving a 12-inning thriller in the nightcap and then sweeping WMU on Saturday and Sunday.

For the second straight weekend, Kent State received a breakout performance at the plate. This time it was freshman Ronnie Ladines, who drove in five runs in Friday's 7-5 victory over the Huskies. Ladines, who started the game in the pitcher's circle, hit two home runs and provided the game-winning hit with a single that scored two runs in the 12th inning. Sophomore Lauren Kesterson seemed to find her swing again, going 5-for-13 at the plate for her first hits of the month.

Junior ace Emma Johnson went 2-1 on the weekend despite allowing just three runs (two earned) and scattering 10 hits in 19 innings of action. Johnson tossed her fifth shutout of the season against WMU on Saturday and had 22 strikeouts on the weekend.

Offensive Leaders
Freshman Maddy Grimm has provided much-needed power to a Kent State lineup that hit just 12 home runs a season ago. Grimm has surpassed that total by herself this season and matched the Kent State single-season record with her 13th homer in Saturday's win at Western Michigan. In addition to home runs, Grimm is among the MAC leaders in RBI (41), runs (33), slugging percentage (.720) and walks (26).

Junior Kim Kirkpatrick is hitting .297 to lead the Flashes in batting for the second consecutive season and has also hits a team-best 11 doubles. Kirkpatrick is second on the team in runs (29) triples (4) and slugging percentage (.539). Junior Dani Ramos is tied for the MAC lead with five triples.

Pitching Leaders
Junior Emma Johnson (14-8) has improved as the season has progressed and is among the leading candidates for MAC Pitcher of the Year, an award she won a year ago. Johnson has 150 strikeouts and a 2.00 ERA over 129.2 innings this season. She has thrown 12 complete games and five shutouts after throwing a pair of them last weekend.

Freshman Ronnie Ladines (6-5) has been terrific since the beginning of conference play. Ladines is 3-2 with a 2.05 ERA in 41.0 innings against MAC competition. She also has 39 strikeouts and only five walks in those games.

Linder's Lineup Change
With teams pitching around freshman slugger Maddy Grimm, head coach Karen Linder decided to move Grimm into the leadoff spot in the Kent State lineup. That decision has paid dividends, as the Flashes are 8-1 since the change was made. Linder's squad is hitting more than 40 points higher and scoring nearly two more runs per game over the past nine games.

The Flashes have received contributions from players up and down the lineup during this time. Leading the way has been sophomore Erika Warren, who has hit .417 with 10 RBI and enters the weekend on a six-game hitting streak. Junior Dani Ramos has hit .333 with four multi-hit games since Grimm began hitting in front of her in the lineup.

Kent State has hit 11 home runs over the past nine games. Grimm leads the way with three, while freshman Ronnie Ladines, senior Abbey Ledford, junior Ariele Patterson and Warren have each homered twice.

Scouting Buffalo

Buffalo (25-20, 9-5 MAC) has won four straight games after sweeping through last weekend's road trip to Western Michigan and Northern Illinois.
In conference games, the Bulls have hit a MAC-best 16 home runs.
IF Sammi Gallardo is among the top sluggers in the MAC with 12 doubles, 15 home runs and 36 RBI. Gallardo was named MAC East Player of the Week after slugging 1.286 with 3 homers and 8 RBI over 4 games.
OF Holly Luciano leads Buffalo's with a .356 batting average and 15 stolen bases. Luciano is second on the team with 31 RBI.
P Tori Speckman (17-11) is the ace of the Bulls pitching staff. Speckman leads Buffalo in all pitching categories, including ERA (2.30), strikeouts (194), innings pitched (194.2), complete games (21) and shutouts (6).

Series History vs. Opponents
Kent State owns a 22-6 all-time record against Buffalo.

Strides for Autism
For the fourth year in a row, the Kent State softball team is sponsoring Joey Cheney and the Family Child Learning Center (FCLC) as part of the "Strides for Autism" fundraiser. Joey was diagnosed on the autism spectrum when he was 2 1/2 years old and spent the next two years in pre-school at the Family Child Learning Center (FCLC), one of northeast Ohio's premier early intervention and preschool programs for families who have children diagnosed with autism. FCLC worked so closely with Joey and they helped him break through by supporting his development of communication and motor skills at such an early age. Now Joey is in a typical classroom in first grade at St. Hilary School. He uses a tutor for 5 hours a day and then is on his own the rest of the day. He is doing well academically, learning to read, and making friends!

Fans can donate money to "Strides for Autism" at the collection table located near the concession stand.

On Deck for the Flashes
Kent State will begin the quest for its first NCAA appearance since 2008 with a first round Mid-American Conference Tournament game on Wednesday. The double-elimination tournament will be played at Firestone Stadium in Akron through Saturday.

Golden Flashes Look to Clinch MAC Title vs. Buffalo

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