Grimm Breaks Home Run Record on Final Day at Red & Black Classic

Sunday, February 28

Louisville, Ky.

2:30 p.m.

Kent State University

12-3

University of Louisville

10-4

Kent State

Louisville

Photo by: Dave Warren

Grimm Breaks Home Run Record on Final Day at Red & Black Classic

2/28/2016 5:37:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Game 1 Game 2

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Junior Maddy Grimm homered in both games at the Red & Black Classic on Sunday to be solely recognized as Kent State's home run queen. The Golden Flashes earned a two-game split for the second day in a row, beating North Dakota State in a shortened five-inning game, 6-3, and losing to host Louisville, 6-3.

Grimm, who matched the single-season record with 13 homers during her freshman season and crushed that record with 19 long balls last season, tied the previous record with her 35th and 36th home runs on Friday. After adding two more on Sunday, Grimm is tied for sixth in Mid-American Conference history with 38 home runs.

"Maddy was great all weekend," said interim head coach Eric Oakley. "It really is quite a feat to set a new career home run record at a school like Kent State that has a long and successful history. For her to do it so early in her junior year is sensational. She is an exceptional athlete and one of the best to ever to put on the Blue & Gold."

Sophomore Holly Speers provided great protection for Grimm in the cleanup spot. Speers went 4-for-5 with two home runs, four RBIs and four runs scored on Sunday.

Kent State is now 12-3 through the first three weekends of competition after going 3-2 at the Red & Black Classic. The Flashes split two games against both Louisville and North Dakota State and also defeated Cleveland State.

"It was a disappointing finish, but overall a pretty good weekend," Oakley said. "I am very proud of this team for bouncing back after last night's loss and getting a convincing win over North Dakota State. We had control of the second game, but lost control of it after the fourth. If we get to the fifth with the lead, we expect to shut it down from there. That is something we will work on as the season progresses."

Game 1: Kent State 6, North Dakota State 3 (5 innings)
Three of Kent State's five hits cleared the fence for home runs to power the Flashes to a 6-3 win in a game that was called after five innings due to travel arrangements for North Dakota State.

The Bison took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning with back-to-back singles and a sacrifice fly.

Kent State tied the game in the bottom of the inning without needing a hit. Holly Speers drew a walk, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Shelbi Tilton and came home to score on an error that allowed Bailey Brownfield to reach safely.

The Flashes returned the favor by gifting the Bison a run in the third inning. An error extended the frame, and a stolen base and single made it 2-1.

Speers put the Flashes ahead for good with a three-run blast in the bottom of the third.

NDSU's Jackie Stifter hit a solo home run in the fourth inning.

Maddy Grimm and Speers hit back-to-back homers to lead off the bottom of the fifth and provide insurance runs. For Grimm, it was her school record-breaking 37th career home run.

Speers homered in both of her at-bats for four RBIs. She walked in her other plate appearance and scored three runs.

Ronnie Ladines went the distance in the circle for the Flashes to improve to 8-0. Ladines allowed two earned runs on four hits and had two strikeouts and two walks.

Game 2: Louisville 6, Kent State 3
Louisville scored six runs in its final two at-bats to rally for a 6-3 victory over Kent State in the final game of the Red & Black Classic.

The Flashes got on the scoreboard by opening the top of the second with three straight singles. Bailey Brownfield provided the final hit, scoring Holly Speers.

Maddy Grimm added to her school record with her fourth home run of the weekend to lead off the fourth inning. After Speers was retired for the first time of the day, Shelbi Tilton reached on an error. Brownfield and Hailey Hopkins followed with singles to load the bases. Jen Cader followed with a hit up the middle to score pinch runner Allie Luther, but the Louisville centerfielder made a strong throw home to get Brownfield out at the plate.

The Cardinals got their bats going and scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a 4-3 lead. A walk, single and double by their first three batters got them on the board. After a groundout to Speers at shortstop, a double brought in two more runs to tie the game. Louisville then laid down a sacrifice bunt and the runner on third was able to beat the throw to the plate to go ahead, 4-3.

Louisville added a two-run homer in the sixth inning for the final score.

Kent State outhit their host, 8-7. Brownfield and Speers led the way with two hits each.

Janel Hayes (3-3) was terrific over the first four innings of the game, allowing just two hits. Hayes had one strikeout and walked two while allowing six runs on six hits over five innings. Ronnie Ladines recorded two strikeouts and allowed one hit in one inning of relief duty.

On Deck for the Flashes
Kent State will head to the West Coast next weekend for five games at the Husky Classic, which will be co-hosted by Washington and Seattle.