Kent State University
15-6
Quinnipiac
4-16
Offensive Explosion Gives Golden Flashes Two More Wins at Liberty Classic
3/21/2015 10:52:00 PM | Softball
Game 1Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Game 2
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Kent State needed only five innings to take care of each of Saturday's opponents at the Liberty Classic by a combined score of 25-3. The Golden Flashes opened the day with a 12-3 victory over Quinnipiac before defeating Rider, 13-0, to move to 4-0 on the weekend.
Kent State (16-6) got offensive contributions from nearly every player in the lineup as 12 Flashes combined for 26 hits, including 13 for extra bases, and a .926 team slugging percentage. The Flashes scored in their first nine plate appearances and hit five home runs on the day.
Michele Duffy led the Flashes with a 4-for-5 performance at the plate, four runs, two doubles and four RBI. Maddy Grimm went 4-for-6 with four runs, two doubles a home run and five RBI. Shelbi Tilton drove in four runs on a double and a home run.
Game 1: Kent State 12, Quinnipiac 3 (5 innings)
Kent State put three runs on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first inning. Back-to-back singles by Dani Ramos and Michele Duffy, followed by a Duffy stolen base, put two runners in scoring position. A grounder to the shortstop was then mishandled and allowed both runners to score. With two outs, Holly Speers singled to bring in a third run.
Michele Duffy delivered a two-out single up the middle that scored a pair as part of a five-run second. Shelbi Tilton then homered to left field to make it 7-0. Back-to-back singles by Kim Kirkpatrick and Speers were followed by another Bobcats error that allowed Kirkpatrick to score.
Quinnipiac scored three runs on three hits in the top of the fourth to make it a 9-3 game.
Kent State got those runs right back with three straight home runs to leadoff the bottom of the inning. Arika Roush got it started with a shot of the wall in centerfield for her first hit of the season. Speers followed by driving the ball to left center for her third hit of the game. Hayes also went to left center to make it three in a row. This was the first career home run for all three players.
Duffy and Speers both went 3-for-3 at the plate. Duffy had a double, three RBI and scored twice. Speers had a double, three RBI and scored once. Â Ramos went 2-for-3 to give the Flashes a third player with multiple hits and also scored two runs and had a stolen base.
Hayes (2-0) also started in the pitcher's circle and threw 3.1 innings to earn the victory. Hayes allowed three runs on five hits and had two strikeouts. Alyssa Frankenfield had one strikeout and allowed only one hit in 1.2 innings out of the bullpen.
Game 2: Kent State 13, Rider 0 (5 innings)
A leadoff double in the top of the first by Maddy Grimm set the tone for Kent State in the second game of the day. Grimm came home to score on a double by Michele Duffy. Kim Kirkpatrick brought Duffy home to score two batters later on a single.
Two singles and a walk loaded the bases to start the second inning. Grimm delivered a single to centerfield that brought two runners home to score. A throw to second on a stolen base by Grimm then allowed Paige McCrary to score from third. A few batters later, Kirkpatrick singled to left field to bring home Ramos, who was hit by a pitch earlier in the inning.
A three-run home run by Grimm, her fifth of the season, and a two-run double by Tilton highlighted a five-run third inning for the Flashes.
Nicolette Cregan added an RBI single in the fourth for Kent State's final run of the day.
Ronnie Ladines (5-3) threw a complete game shutout for the Flashes. Ladines had six strikeouts while allowing only two hits and one walk.
Grimm went 3-for-3 in the game with five RBI and three runs scored.
First pitch for Kent State's final game of the weekend on Sunday against Saint Francis (Pa.) has been moved up to 12 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hayes, Janel (2-0)
L: Robey (2-5)
Batting:
2B: Edmands 1
RBI: Edmands 1 ; Magana 1 ; Herzog 1
SH: Cyr 1 ; Herzog 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Cyr 1 ; Lindsley 1 ; Edmands 1
Batting:
2B: Grimm, Maddy 1 ; Duffy, Michele 1
HR: Tilton, Shelbi 1 ; Roush, Arika 1 ; Speers, Holly 1 ; Hayes, Janel 1
RBI: Duffy, Michele 3 ; Tilton, Shelbi 2 ; Roush, Arika 1 ; Speers, Holly 2 ; Hayes, Janel 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Grimm, Maddy 1 ; Ramos, Dani 2 ; Duffy, Michele 2 ; Tilton, Shelbi 2 ; Kirkpatrick, Kim 1 ; Roush, Arika 1 ; Speers, Holly 1 ; Hayes, Janel 1 ; Ladines, Ronnie 1
SB: Ramos, Dani 1 ; Duffy, Michele 1
