Softball Takes First MAC Series with 6-3 Win Over Eastern Michigan

Saturday, March 25

Ypsilanti, Mich.

3:00 p.m.

Kent State University

10-15, 2-1

Eastern Michigan

12-14, 1-2

Kent State

Eastern Michigan

Photo by: Sue Eckl

Softball Takes First MAC Series with 6-3 Win Over Eastern Michigan

3/25/2017 6:28:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

Box Score (pdf)

YPSILANTI, Mich. – Kent State jumped out to an early lead and held on to defeat Eastern Michigan, 6-3, Saturday afternoon in the rubber match of the opening series of the Mid-American Conference schedule.

"Every conference win is important, and a series win is also important in case of ties," said head coach Eric Oakley. "Eastern Michigan is a good club, and I have no doubt they will be at Firestone Stadium in May."

After hitting a pair of home runs and driving in seven runs in Friday's doubleheader, Eastern Michigan elected to intentionally walk senior Maddy Grimm in all four of her plate appearances Saturday. That strategy helped Kent State take an early 6-0 lead as the three batters following her in the lineup combined for five RBIs in the first two innings.

"They took Maddy out of the game, which is something teams have done in the past and will probably choose to do again this year," Oakley said. "I'm really proud of how the rest of the lineup responded today."

Kent State (10-15, 2-1 MAC) struck for two runs in its first at-bat. Singles by sophomore Bailey Brownfield and senior Ronnie Ladines and an intentional walk to Grimm loaded the bases with just one out. After a strikeout, sophomore Jen Cader sent a shot off the wall in left field that scored two.

Sophomore Hunter Brancifort started a four-run second with a single the opposite way. Brancifort advanced to third on a passed ball and groundout to the right side. Brownfield drove her in with a single up the middle. Junior Emily Dobbin then hit it back to the EMU pitcher, who misfired on her throw attempting to retire Brownfield at second. After electing to pitch around Grimm again to load the bases, the EMU third baseman was unsuccessful in trying to record a force out at the bag on a ball batted by Ladines. Freshman Kellie Abeska followed with a single to score two more runs and make it a 6-0 lead.

Ladines (4-9) was terrific in the circle once again to earn the victory. She struck out the side in the bottom of the seventh and finished with four strikeouts and no walks. Ladines carried a no-hitter into the fourth, before back-to-back singles were followed by a three-run homer.

"Ronnie had a great outing both in the circle and at the plate hitting behind Maddy," Oakley said. "She really buckled down after the home run, and she was huge in getting those three K's to end the game. Our defense behind Ronnie was also much better today."

Kent State's 9-game, 10-day Spring Break trip continues with a single game at No. 9 Alabama on Tuesday and a doubleheader at Evansville on Wednesday. Tuesday's game will be streamed on the SEC Network +.