Kent State University
Ball State
Golden Flashes Continue MAC Play on the Road
4/3/2015 1:25:00 AM | Softball
After playing at the Diamond at Dix for the first time this season to open its Mid-American Conference schedule this past Sunday, the Kent State softball team will head back on the road for a pair of two-game series against Ball State and Miami this weekend. The Golden Flashes, Cardinals and RedHawks all enter the weekend with a 2-0 MAC record.
Kent State (21-6) will play a doubleheader against Ball State on Friday with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. The Flashes will then play single games against Miami on Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.                Â
Weekend Schedule
Friday, April 3
1 p.m.         Kent State at Ball State – Live Stats         AudioÂ
3 p.m.         Kent State at Ball State – Live Stats         AudioÂ
Saturday, April 4
2 p.m.         Kent State at Miami – Live Stats  Â
Sunday, April 5
1 p.m.          Kent State at Miami – Live Stats  Â
Pitching Staff Among National Leaders
Kent State's pitching staff has been outstanding this season and ranks third in the country with a 1.54 earned run average and is holding opponents to a .194 batting average.
Senior Emma Johnson (10-3) is the ace of the staff and has recorded 146 strikeouts in just 79.1 innings. Johnson ranks third in the nation in strikeouts per seven innings (11.8), fifth in shutouts (6), 10th in hits allowed per seven innings (3.81) and 14th in ERA (1.14).
Sophomore Ronnie Ladines (7-3) has a 1.91 ERA and has allowed more than two earned runs in just two of 10 starts.
Junior Alyssa Frankenfield (2-0) is having her best season as a Golden Flash. Frankenfield has a 1.69 ERA and a save. Sophomore Janel Hayes (2-0) has a 2.47 ERA and has been victorious in both of her starts.
Early-Season Leaders
Kent State is batting .286 as a team and has six players with a .299 or better batting average. The Flashes have 57 extra-base hits, including 21 home runs.
Senior outfielder Kim Kirkpatrick and junior utility Michele Duffy share the team lead with a .357 batting average. Kirkpatrick provides a versatile bat in the middle of the Flashes' lineup and leads the Flashes with 30 hits and 21 runs scored. She also has three doubles, three triples, two home runs, 11 RBI and 10 stolen bases. Duffy is tied for the team lead with four doubles and is second on the team with 25 hits and 17 RBI.
On Deck for the Flashes
Kent State will play a midweek doubleheader at Pittsburgh on Wednesday before returning home to host rival Akron in a doubleheader on Friday. The Flashes will then return to the Diamond at Dix to host single games against Ohio on Saturday and Sunday.
