Softball Splits Mid-Week Matchup with YSU

Wednesday, April 27

Kent, Ohio

3:00 p.m.

Kent State University

28-18

Youngstown State University

24-17

Youngstown State

Kent State

Photo by: David Dermer

4/27/2016 9:08:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Game 1 Game 2

KENT, Ohio – Kent State and Youngstown State each earned a one-run victory Wednesday as the teams split their doubleheader at the Diamond at Dix Wednesday afternoon. The Golden Flashes let a three-run slip away in a 7-6 defeat to start the day and then held on in the nightcap, 3-2, to earn the split.

Kent State (29-18) had 11 players combine to outhit the Penguins, 19-12. Senior Michele Duffy and junior Ronnie Ladines and Maddy Grimm led the way with three hits apiece. Duffy drove in a pair of runs, Ladines had a double, a home run, two RBIs and scored three runs and Grimm had a double and reached three times via base on balls.

Game 1: Youngstown State 7, Kent State 6
Miranda Castiglione's grand slam with two outs in the top of the seventh inning propelled Youngstown State victory in a back-and-forth game.

Kent State took an early 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second. Shelbi Tilton singled up the middle and Ronnie Ladines drew a walk. Nicki Cregan followed with a double near the right field line that brought in pinch runner Sydney Anderson. A long sacrifice fly to left field by Jen Cader brought Ladines home.

Youngstown State put together a two-out rally in its next at-bat to take a 3-2 lead. After a hit batter and single, the next two Penguins were retired. Castiglione then put YSU on the board with a double to right field that scored one run. Brittney Moffatt cleared the bases with a shot through the left side to cap the rally.

Starting pitcher Ronnie Ladines helped her own cause with a double to start the bottom of the fourth. After back-to-back outs, the Kent State bats broke out to regain the lead. Kiley Harrison got it started with a blooper that hit off second base. Arika Roush ripped a liner to left field and Michele Duffy added an RBI single to put the Flashes ahead, 4-3.

Ladines pushed the lead to 6-3 with a two-run homer in the fifth. The Golden Flashes loaded the bases with two outs in the inning but could not add to their lead.

YSU loaded the bases in the seventh with two singles and a walk to set the stage for Castiglione's heroics.

All nine Kent State starters contributed to the team's 11 hits in the game. Ladines went 2-for-3 at the plate and drew a walk to score three runs. Maddy Grimm went 2-for-4 and had a double.

Ladines (16-7) recorded eight strikeouts and walked just one batter in seven innings for the Flashes. She allowed seven runs on eight hits, which is tied for the most she has allowed this season.

Game 2: Kent State 3, Youngstown State 2
Emily Dobbin (2-0) was terrific in long relief and tossed five scoreless innings to earn her first victory since opening weekend. Dobbin inherited a 1-0 deficit and kept the Penguins off the scoreboard to allow the Golden Flashes' offense opportunities to put runs across the plate.

Youngstown State was gifted a run in the top of the first inning, as an error on a groundball in the infield allowed a runner to score from second base instead of ending the inning.

Pitching controlled the next several innings, as Kent State was finally able to tie the game in the fifth. Dobbin started the inning with a single up the middle. After advancing on a sacrifice bunt, she moved to third on a single by Michele Duffy. Maddy Grimm was then walked and Holly Speers brought Dobbin in with a sacrifice fly to left field.

Back-to-back YSU errors with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning proved costly, as a pair of seniors stepped up to bring in two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning and give Kent State just enough run support to come out on top. Arika Roush put the Flashes head with a single up the middle and Duffy made it a two-run lead with a single to right field.

A two-walk and double pulled YSU to within a run in the bottom of the seventh, but a pop-up to the shortstop brought the game to an end.

Kent State outhit YSU, 8-4. Duffy led the way with two hits.

In the circle, Dobbin allowed just three hits in five innings. Senior Alyssa Frankenfield got the start for her season debut and had one strikeout one walk and one unearned run in an inning of action. Ronnie Ladines earned her third save of the year and allowed one run on one hit in one inning.

On Deck for the Flashes
Kent State will play its final road Mid-American Conference road series of the season at Bowling Green this weekend. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Friday and Saturday's doubleheader is scheduled for 1 p.m.