Kent State University
Central Michigan
Flashes Visit Central Michigan as Spring Break Trip Concludes
4/1/2017 9:08:00 AM | Softball
Kent State seeks its second straight series victory to start Mid-American Conference play when it visits Central Michigan on the final leg of a 10-day, 9-game Spring Break road trip. The Golden Flashes and Chippewas are scheduled to play a doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m. with the series finale slated for 1 p.m. Sunday. Game 1 of Saturday's twinbill can be heard on Golden Flashes iHeart Radio.
The Golden Flashes (12-16, 2-1 MAC) entered the road trip on a six-game skid in which all of their opponents are ranked among the top-40 of the RPI. After Eastern Michigan walked off in the opening game of the trip in a game that Kent State led 5-0 in the sixth, the Flashes have gone 4-1 and outscored their opponents 37-14.
Weekend Schedule
Saturday, April 1
1 p.m. at Central Michigan – Live Stats Audio
3 p.m. at Central Michigan – Live Stats
Sunday, April 2
1 p.m. at Central Michigan – Live Stats
Last Time Out
Kent State has gone 2-1 this week with a 5-3 loss Tuesday at No. 9 Alabama and a doubleheader sweep of Evansville on Wednesday. The Flashes defeated the Purple Aces 9-1 (6 innings) and 8-2.
Senior Maddy Grimm led the offense with a .625 batting average over the three games. Grimm has hit three home runs and one double for a 1.875 slugging percentage and six RBIs. The slugger got the best of Tuesday's matchup against All-American Sydney Littlejohn with a RBI single and a two-run homer before being intentionally walked in her final plate appearance.
Sophomore Bailey Brownfield and senior Ronnie Ladines have provided protection behind Grimm in the lineup. Brownfield had four hits with two walks and scored three runs. Ladines went 3-for-6 in two starts. Junior Allie Luther filled in for Ladines in the second game at Evansville with a 2-for-3 performance that included a double and her first career home run. It was the first multi-hit game for Luther, who had a career-high three RBIs.
Senior Janel Hayes appeared in all three games and earned a win in her only start. Hayes totaled 8.1 innings with four strikeouts, four walks and three runs allowed. Freshman Madi Huck earned her first collegiate victory in Wednesday's nightcap. Huck pitched 4.1 scoreless innings and had three strikeouts while allowing only two hits. Ronnie Ladines took the loss at Alabama and also threw one inning in relief on Wednesday. Ladines had seven strikeouts to just one walk and allowed three earned runs in 6.1 innings.
Oakley Joins Century Club
Second-year Kent State head coach Eric Oakley earned his 100th career victory in Kent State's 6-3 win at Eastern Michigan on Saturday. It was a fitting setting for the milestone victory, as Oakley's first 19 victories came as interim head coach of the Eagles during the 2010 season. The 2016 MAC Coach of the Year guided the Flashes to a 49-38 record over the last two seasons.
Series History vs. Central Michigan
• Kent State is 42-48 all-time vs. the Chippewas.
• Last season, the Flashes outscored CMU 21-3 in winning all four meetings. Kent State swept the Chippewas at the Diamond at Dix to start the MAC season and then won a MAC Tournament first round matchup.
• Kent State shutout CMU in three of the four games last year. Janel Hayes threw a shutout in her only appearance of the series, while Ronnie Ladines threw two shutouts and had 19 strikeouts in 20 innings.
• Holly Speers led the Flashes with a .667 batting average, four home runs, nine RBIs, seven runs scored and seven walks..
• Maddy Grimm batted .500 with two doubles, two home runs, four RBIs and five runs scored.
• Shelbi Tilton added five hits, one double and two RBIs.
• Katelyn Rentschler and Lacy Tolfree led CMU with four hits apiece.
• All of the CMU's runs were scored on home runs, a two-run homer by Chelsea DeLamielleure and a solo shot by CarolAnn Sexauer.
• The Chippewas' pitching staff had a 5.70 Era and allowed eight home runs. Ace Rachael Knapp went 0-3 with a 5.68 ERA in 12.1 innings and had seven strikeouts with 12 walks.
On Deck for the Flashes
Kent State will play at the Diamond at Dix for the first time when it hosts Ohio for a doubleheader on Tuesday at 1 p.m. to kickoff a five-game homestand. After playing 31 games on the road to start the season, the Flashes will play eight of nine at home.
