Grimm Sets Career RBIs Mark in Friday Split with Zips

Friday, May 6

Kent, Ohio

3:00 p.m.

Kent State University

34-20, 14-7

University of Akron

29-22-1, 11-8-1

Akron

Kent State

Photo by: Dave Warren

Grimm Sets Career RBIs Mark in Friday Split with Zips

5/6/2016 7:06:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Game 1 Game 2

KENT, Ohio – Kent State bounced back from a tough 3-0 loss to rival Akron in the first game of a doubleheader on Friday to earn a split with an 8-3 victory in the nightcap. The split clinched a top-2 seed in next week's Mid-American Conference Softball Championship.

Led by junior Ronnie Ladines the Golden Flashes (34-20, 15-7 MAC) received outstanding pitching and did not allow an earned run on the day. Ladines (21-8) struck out 10 batters to just three walks while holding the Zips to only four hits in 11 innings.

"It is a little disappointing that we couldn't take both games today, but I am proud of the way our team responded and made adjustments in the second game," said interim head coach Eric Oakley. "Ronnie [Ladines] was awesome in the circle, and you have to find a way to win games when you get that kind of pitching performance. [Erin] Seiler was terrific for Akron and we need to do a better job of making adjustments for the next time we face her."

Defensive mistakes proved to be the difference in Game 1, as Kent State committed three of its season-high five errors to aid the Zips in scoring three runs in the top of the seventh inning.

Junior Maddy Grimm led the way offensively as the only Kent State player with a hit in both games. Grimm singled with two outs in the bottom of the seventh in Game 1 and then provided the Flashes with a quick answer by bringing in a run with a double in the top of the first of Game 2, becoming Kent State's all-time leader in RBIs in the process. She now has 133 career RBIs and surpassed Jessica Carmichael (2008-11), who she tied with a three-run blast at Bowling Green last Saturday,

Kent State totaled 11 hits over the two games. Freshman Bailey Brownfield, sophomore Emily Dobbin and sophomore Holly Speers joined Grimm in having two-hit days.

Game 1: Akron 3, Kent State 0
The opening game was a pitcher's duel between two of the best pitchers in the MAC, as Kent State's Ronnie Ladines and Akron's Erin Seiler both had no-hit bids through 6.2 innings.

The Zips got their leadoff batter aboard in the seventh on an error and would take advantage of the extra out to plate three runs in the inning. Pinch hitter Carley Childress collected the first hit of the game, for either team, with a single up the middle that scored the leadoff batter. A throw to the plate found its way to the backstop, and the alert Akron baserunner sprinted home for a 2-0 lead. The Zips went to the bench again and pinch hitter Gabrielle Fredricks delivered a RBI double, but was thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple.

Maddy Grimm prevented Seiler from throwing a no-hitter with a single up the middle with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. Grimm was just the second Kent State batter to reach base in the game.

Ladines came out on the wrong end of the pitcher's duel despite not allowing an earned run on just two hits. She had six strikeouts and one walk.

Game 2: Kent State 8, Akron 3
Both teams went with a different starting pitcher in Game 2, resulting in a wacky first inning in which the teams combined to score seven runs on just five hits and a total of 18 batters stepped to the plate.

An error and four singles, including three consecutive, allowed Akron to score three runs in the opening frame.

Kent State answered with four runs in the bottom of the inning to go ahead 4-3. Arika Roush started the rally by watching four straight pitches miss the strike zone for a walk. Roush advanced on a sacrifice bunt and Maddy Grimm ripped a shot to the gap in right-center for a double to bring her in. A walk, an illegal pitch and a passed ball allowed Grimm to score and placed Holly Speers on third base. Speers scored to tie the game when a ball hit by Shelbi Tilton was misplayed by the Akron shortstop. A walk drawn by Ronnie Ladines and two more illegal pitches brought Tilton around to score.

Bailey Brownfield turned in the defensive inning of the season for Kent State in the third. Brownfield made a terrific diving catch on a line drive by Lilli Piper to retire the first batter of the inning. After three straight singles, Gabrielle Fredricks stepped to the plate with the bases loaded for the second time in the game. Fredricks brought in two runs with a single in the first inning, but was unable to replicate that at-bat. She sent a fly ball towards the line in left field, and Brownfield laid out to make the catch. The runner on third base appeared to score on the play, but the Flashes threw the ball to third for an appeal, and the runner was called out for leaving early.

Holly Speers hit her 12th home run of the season to start the bottom of the inning and completely shift momentum in favor of the Flashes. A walk and a single led to a pinch-hit RBI single by Nicki Cregan with two outs to score a crucial run and make it a 6-3 game.

Brownfield helped Kent State add two insurance runs in the fifth with a two-out double. An error by the Akron shortstop allowed Erika Warren to reach, and pinch runner Sydney Anderson alertly rounded third and was able to slide around the catcher to score a run. Roush added a RBI single for the final run of the game.

Speers reached safely three times on two hits and a walk and scored two runs to lead the offense. Brownfield and Dobbin added two hits apiece.

Ladines retired the first seven batters she faced and pitched four scoreless relief innings to earn the victory. She had four strikeouts and allowed just two hits and one walk. Janel Hayes started the game and allowed three unearned runs on seven hits in three innings.

On Deck for the Flashes
Kent State and Akron will meet for the rubber match on Saturday at 12 p.m. The Golden Flashes will take the series and capture the MAC regular season championship with a win.