Warren’s Clutch Double Leads Flashes Past Ohio in MAC Tournament Opener

Wednesday, May 6

Akron, Ohio

1:00 p.m.

Kent State University

40-11

Ohio

15-31

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

Photo by: David Dermer

Warren’s Clutch Double Leads Flashes Past Ohio in MAC Tournament Opener

5/6/2015 3:58:00 PM | Softball

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AKRON, Ohio – Kent State scored all of its runs with two outs to take care of Ohio, 3-1, in the first round of the 2015 Mid-American Conference Softball Championship at Firestone Stadium on Wednesday afternoon. The victory gives the Golden Flashes (40-11) the third 40-win season in school history.

Erika Warren's two-run double in the bottom of the sixth was the difference and capped a 4-for-7 day at the plate for the Flashes with two outs. Behind the plate, Warren also threw out a pair of base runners attempting to steal.

Emma Johnson (22-5) continued to frustrate opposing batters and finished with nine strikeouts to only one walk. Johnson held the Bobcats to just two hits.

Back-to-back two-out walks drawn by Warren and Lauren Kesterson helped Kent State get on the board in the bottom of the second. Kim Kirkpatrick followed with a single through the hole on the right side of the infield to bring pinch runner Emily Dobbin in to score. With runners on the corners, a potential big inning was thwarted when Kirkpatrick was thrown out attempting to steal.

The Flashes threatened to score with two outs again the next inning after back-to-back singles by Holly Speers and Michele Duffy, but Duffy was thrown out attempting to advance to second on the throw to third base.

A hit batter to leadoff the top of the fifth inning cost Johnson a shutout. A sacrifice bunt and infield single moved the runner to third base before coming home to tie the game at 1-1 on another sacrifice bunt.

Speers ripped a single to leadoff the bottom of the sixth inning and the Flashes had two runners on without any outs when Duffy's bunt went past the Ohio fielders for a single. The Bobcats were able to cut down the lead runner at third on a sacrifice bunt attempt and then got a pop-up to the shortstop to set the stage for Warren's clutch hit.

No. 1 seed Kent State will play No. 4 Central Michigan in a second round game on Thursday at 1 p.m.