Bats Stay Hot as Softball Improves to 7-0

Friday, February 19

Spartanburg, S.C.

11:00 a.m.

Kent State University

6-0

Oakland University

0-1

Oakland

Kent State

Photo by: Dave Warren

2/20/2016 1:39:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Game 1 Game 2

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Offensive production throughout the lineup and terrific pitching led Kent State to a pair of wins Friday at the Spartan Invitational. The Golden Flashes started the day with a 10-1 win over defending Horizon League champion Oakland in five innings, and then beat North Carolina Central, 6-1.

"We got a nice couple of wins today," said interim head coach Eric Oakley after his team improved to 7-0. "Our offense continues to be a collective effort, which is our goal."

Kent State outhit its opponents, 17-10, and had a .340 team batting average for the day. Seven players collected two hits each. Freshman Bailey Brownfield led the way with four RBIs. Seniors Michele Duffy and Arika Roush and junior Maddy Grimm drove in two runs apiece.

Juniors Ronnie Ladines and Janel Hayes both threw complete games in the circle for the Flashes. Behind the plate, Erika Warren and Brooke Dodson successfully threw out the only runner attempting to steal that each faced.

"We got fantastic outings from both Ronnie and Janel," Oakley said. "And it was a great effort by our catchers today, as well. Erika and Brooke both called great games and both made key contributions on offense."

Game 1: Kent State 10, Oakland 1 (5 innings)
Kent State took advantage of Oakland miscues and came through with timely hits to put five on the board in back-to-back innings for a run-rule victory.

The Golden Grizzlies struck first in the top of the second inning with consecutive two-out doubles.

In the bottom half of the inning, the Golden Flashes batted around and scored five runs with two outs despite just three hits. An error on the leadoff batter proved costly, the next two batters would have been retired but instead reached on fielder's choices. Jen Cader gave the Flashes their first hit of the game with a single that moved Ronnie Ladines into scoring position. Erika Warren followed with a single of her own to bring Ladines home and tie the game. A passed ball, wild pitch, walk, error and hit batter allowed two more runs to score and load the bases for Bailey Brownfield, who plated two more runs with a single.

Kent State needed only three hits once again to score five in the bottom of the third. Ladines singled through the left side to start the inning. A pair of errors loaded the bases with one out. Michele Duffy was then hit by a pitch to bring in Ladines. Arika Roush added a two-run single to prompt a pitching change for Oakland. After a strikeout, Maddy Grimm cleared the bases with a double to conclude the scoring. Grimm doubled twice on the day.

Seven Flashes each had one hit. Brownfield, Grimm and Roush drove in two runs apiece.

Ronnie Ladines (5-0) threw her third complete game for the Flashes in as many starts. Ladines had six strikeouts while allowing just one walk and one run on five hits.

Game 2: Kent State 6, N.C. Central 1
Kent State came back from an early 1-0 deficit again to remain unbeaten. Excellent defense helped hold the Eagles to only one run in the opening frame. The first batter of the game was hit by a pitch and moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt. The next batter singled to center field, but aggressive baserunning backfired, as Shelbi Tilton cutoff the throw and fired a strike home to get the second out of the inning. However, a single down the right field line put NCCU on the board.

Tilton tied the game with a clutch two-out single in the bottom half of the inning to score Michele Duffy, who reached on a leadoff single. Jen Cader then drew a walk to load the bases, but the possibility of a big inning was ended when Brooke Dodson grounded out to the shortstop.

Dodson made up for it in her next two at-bats. In the fourth inning, she ripped the ball over the fence in left-center for her first career home run and a 2-1 Kent State lead.

A leadoff single by Dodson started a big sixth inning for the Flashes. A NCCU error moved two runners into scoring position, and Ronnie Ladines made it a 3-1 game with a groundout to first base that allowed pinch runner Sydney Anderson to score. Duffy then laid down a sacrifice bunt, scoring pinch runner Vanessa Scoarste. Arika Roush singled to keep the inning alive and scored when Bailey Brownfield crushed her first career home run to left-center.

Janel Hayes (2-0) went the distance for the Flashes and scattered five hits while allowing just one run. Hayes struck out six batters and issued just two walks.

On Deck for the Flashes
Kent State will begin play on Saturday against Furman at 3 p.m., followed by a rematch against North Carolina Central.