Softball Clinches MAC East with Sweep of Broncos

Friday, May 1

Kent, Ohio

1:00 p.m.

Kent State University

36-11, 13-4

Western Michigan

20-22, 10-7

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Western Michigan	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
Kent State	1	0	0	1	0	1	X	3	5	2

Photo by: David Dermer

Softball Clinches MAC East with Sweep of Broncos

5/1/2015 7:15:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Game 1 Game 2

KENT, Ohio – The Kent State softball program clinched its seventh Mid-American Conference East Division title in the past decade by taking a pair of games from Western Michigan at the Diamond at Dix on Friday. The Golden Flashes won the opening game, 3-0, and completed the sweep with a 2-0 victory.

Kent State (37-11, 15-4 MAC) once again received dominant pitching performances from senior Emma Johnson and sophomore Ronnie Ladines to extend its shutout streak to six games. The Flashes have not allowed a run since the fourth inning against Robert Morris on April 22 to extend the scoreless streak to 43.1 innings.

"Today was exciting, and I was really pleased with the pitching performances today," said head coach Karen Linder. "Emma and Ronnie did great jobs. There were times Western Michigan had runners on base and we were able to get out of jams because of what our pitchers were doing and our defense came through at the right times. And offensively, it was great to see Dani and Lauren hit home runs. It's exciting for the team when they see people who are normally just contact hitters being able to put it out of the park."

Offensively, the Flashes outhit the Broncos, 10-9. Eight different players collected a base hit with senior Dani Ramos and sophomore Maddy Grimm leading the way with two each.

Game 1: Kent State 3, Western Michigan 0
Kent State scored in the bottom of the first, which began with Kim Kirkpatrick drilling the first pitch she saw back up the middle. Kirkpatrick moved to third after a sacrifice bunt and groundout. A wild pitch then allowed her scamper home.

Dani Ramos made it a 2-0 game with a solo home run to leadoff the fourth inning for the Flashes.

Back-to-back two-out hits gave the Flashes an insurance run in the sixth inning. Holly Speers hit a long single and hustled around to score on a double by Michele Duffy.

Emma Johnson (20-5) recorded 12 strikeouts in extending her scoreless innings streak to 37. It was the MAC-leading 11th shutout of the season for the reigning NFCA Division I National Pitcher of the Week. Johnson surrendered only three hits and allowed a runner to advance past second base just once.

Game 2: Kent State 2, Western Michigan 0
The Flashes used the long ball to score both of its runs in the bottom of the third inning. Lauren Kesterson homered to right-center to start the frame and break the scoreless tie. Maddy Grimm added a solo home run later in the inning to add her Kent State single-season record. Grimm also set a new record with her 49th RBI of the season on the blast.

Ronnie Ladines (10-5) delivered one of her best outings of the season with a complete game shutout to lead Kent State to victory in the second game. Ladines kept the Broncos off-balance throughout the game and finished with five strikeouts while awarded just one walk and allowing six hits.

Western Michigan threatened in each of the first two innings before Ladines worked her way out of trouble. Ivy Schaaf singled to leadoff the game, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Remaining poised, Ladines fielded a bouncer back to the circle and looked Schaaf back to third before throwing to first for the second out. The next batter flied out to right field to end the threat.

A leadoff double and sacrifice double gave the Broncos a runner on third with only one out again in the second inning. Ladines responded with a big strikeout. Following a walk, Ladines got a groundout to escape unscathed.

Kent State is back in action at the Diamond at Dix with single games against Northern Illinois on Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. to end the regular season.