Kent State University
Alabama
Spring Break Trip Takes Softball to No. 9 Alabama, Evansville for Mid-Week Action
3/27/2017 11:02:00 PM | Softball
The Kent State softball team is scheduled for three mid-week games as part of its Spring Break trip. The Golden Flashes will take on No. 9 Alabama at 7 p.m. ET Tuesday and then head to Evansville for a doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m. ET.
Follow the Flashes
Softball coverage continues on Golden Flashes Radio, as Jacob Pavilack will be on the call for all three games. Additionally, Tuesday's game at No. 9 Alabama will be broadcast on the SEC Network +.
Weekend Schedule
Tuesday, March 28
7 p.m. at No. 9 Alabama – Live Stats Video Audio
Wednesday, March 29
4 p.m. at Evansville – Live Stats Audio
6 p.m. at Evansville – Live Stats Audio
Road Warriors
Kent State (10-15) is in the midst of a 10-day, 9-game trip while there are no classes for Spring Break. The Golden Flashes' expedition began Friday with a series at Eastern Michigan and included a stopover in Nashville on the way to Tuscaloosa, Alabama. After taking on the ninth-ranked Crimson Tide on Tuesday, the Flashes will head to Evansville for a doubleheader on Wednesday. Finally, Kent State will visit Central Michigan for the second weekend of Mid-American Conference play before Tuesday's home opener at the Diamond at Dix against Ohio.
In total, the Flashes will be 31 games into the season before their first home game. After playing just two true road contests in its first 18, Kent State began a stretch of 13 consecutive true road games with a three-game series at No. 17 Michigan on March 8.
Last Time Out
Kent State began its quest for a third consecutive MAC regular season championship by taking two out of three games at Eastern Michigan this past weekend. The Golden Flashes nearly swept the Eagles, but let their host back in the first game of the series with four unearned runs on five errors in the sixth inning before EMU earned a walk-off victory, 6-5. Kent State show resiliency and snapped its seven-game losing streak with an 11-3 win in six innings in the night cap before taking Saturday's rubber match, 6-3.
The Flashes had a .400 on-base percentage in the series on 19 hits, 17 walks and 3 hit batters. Sophomore Bailey Brownfield led the offense with six hits and a .545 batting average. Brownfield, who was hitless in five straight games entering the weekend after collecting a hit in 14 of the first 15 games of the year, drove in three runs. Senior Maddy Grimm had a 2-for-4 start to the weekend with a grand slam and two-run homer. Grimm was then walked in her final six trips to the plate with five being of the intentional variety. She led the Flashes with seven RBIs and five runs scored. Freshman Kellie Abeska added four RBIs.
Kent State's pitching staff held the Eagles to a .203 batting average. Senior Ronnie Ladines appeared in all three games and had a 2.44 ERA with 12 strikeouts and just two walks in 14.1 innings. Senior Janel Hayes was victorious in her only appearance, allowing two earned runs in five innings and striking out two without any walks.
Series History
• Kent State will play Alabama for the first time on Tuesday.
• The Golden Flashes are 9-31 all-time vs. teams currently in the SEC.
• Kent State is 2-0 all-time vs. Evansville.
• The Flashes and Purple Aces were originally scheduled to play at the John Cropp Classic on March 10, but weather forecasts caused the schedule to be change.
• Kent State beat Evansville, 9-1, during the 1986 season and earned a 12-1 victory in 1993.
On Deck for the Flashes
Kent State concludes its 9-game, 10-day Spring Break trip at Central Michigan this weekend. The teams will play at 3 p.m. on Friday and a doubleheader at 1 p.m. on Saturday. The first two games of the series can be heard on Golden Flashes Radio.
