Kent State University
38-11, 16-4
Northern Illinois
28-22, 11-8
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Illinois | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 1 |
| Kent State | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 6 | X | 11 | 9 | 2 |
Kent State Tops NIU, 11-5, to Claim 2015 Mid-American Conference Regular Season Title
5/2/2015 6:49:00 PM | Softball
Box Score (pdf)Â Â Â Â Photo Gallery
KENT, Ohio – Kent State's offense exploded for six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to pull away from visiting Northern Illinois in an 11-5 victory Saturday afternoon at the Diamond at Dix and clinch the 2015 Mid-American Conference regular season title.
Kent State (38-11, 16-4 MAC) won its eighth consecutive games to capture the program's fifth conference championship.
After scoring only 16 runs over the previous six games, the Golden Flashes' bats broke out for 11 runs on nine hits. The top of the lineup—Kim Kirkpatrick, Dani Ramos and Maddy Grimm—were the catalysts by combining for six hits and eight RBIs.
Grimm added to her record-setting sophomore campaign with a three-run homer to left-center that put Kent State on the board in the bottom of the third inning.Â
Kent State's pitching staff finally saw its scoreless innings streak come to an end on a solo home run to leadoff the top of the fourth. The Flashes had shutout the opposition for program record 46.2 consecutive innings.
Erika Warren crushed her first home run of the season in the fourth inning to put the Flashes ahead, 5-1.
Northern Illinois used the long ball to get back in the game, trimming the Flashes' led to 5-4 on a two-run homer in the fifth and another solo shot to leadoff the top of the sixth inning.
Kent State's offense came through for its pitching staff that has been wonderful all season by plating six runs in the bottom half of the sixth. Two walks and an error loaded the bases with only one out. Pinch runner Chloe Kesterson then hustled down the third base line and slid into home to beat the NIU catcher making a play on a ball hit just a few feet in front of the plate. Kirkpatrick ripped a double in the left-center gap to bring in two more runs. Ramos followed with a three-run homer to centerfield that put the Flashes a run away from ending the game. A single by Grimm and back-to-back walks reloaded the bases with two outs, but Arika Roush was unable to beat out a close play at first base on a ball hit to the middle of the infield, bringing the inning to an end.
A pair of errors allowed the Huskies to score an unearned run in the seventh.
Emma Johnson (21-5) fanned six batters to earn a win in her ninth consecutive decision. Johnson threw five innings and allowed four runs on four hits. Ronnie Ladines pitched two effective innings in relief to earn her first save of the season. Ladines had three strikeouts and allowed one unearned run on two hits.
Kent State will bring the regular season to a close against Northern Illinois on Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Diamond at Dix. The Flashes will honor its four seniors in a Senior Day celebration following the game.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Johnson, Emma (21-5)
L: HAYES, Keegan (15-9)
S: Ladines, Ronnie (1)
Batting:
HR: GRABLE, Kayti 1 ; NAEGELE, Emily 1 ; HARNISH, Bekah 1
RBI: GRABLE, Kayti 2 ; NAEGELE, Emily 2 ; HARNISH, Bekah 1
SH: HARNISH, Bekah 1
Base Running:
RUNS: PHELAN, Bryanna 1 ; GRABLE, Kayti 1 ; NAEGELE, Emily 1 ; HARNISH, Bekah 1 ; WARREN, Caitlyn 1
HBP: KOSSAKOWSKI, Kali 1 ; NAEGELE, Emily 1 ; HARNISH, Bekah 1
Batting:
2B: Kirkpatrick, Kim 1
HR: Ramos, Dani 1 ; Grimm, Maddy 1 ; Warren, Erika 1
RBI: Kirkpatrick, Kim 2 ; Ramos, Dani 3 ; Grimm, Maddy 3 ; Warren, Erika 2 ; Hayes, Janel 1
SH: Roush, Arika 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kirkpatrick, Kim 1 ; Ramos, Dani 2 ; Grimm, Maddy 1 ; Ladines, Ronnie 1 ; Kesterson, Chloe 1 ; Roush, Arika 1 ; Warren, Erika 1 ; Scoarste, Vanessa 1 ; Kesterson, Lauren 2
SB: Ramos, Dani 1
HBP: Duffy, Michele 1
