Kent State University
16-22, 6-7
Miami
22-16, 8-5
Late Innings Doom Flashes in Doubleheader
4/14/2017 10:34:00 PM | Softball
Game 1Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Game 2
KENT, Ohio – Kent State was swept by Miami in a doubleheader Friday at the Diamond at Dix despite being tied or leading through the first five innings of both games. Miami exploded for eight runs in the sixth inning to take the opening game, 12-4, and then used a two-out double in the seventh inning to complete the sweep.
The Golden Flashes (16-23, 6-8 MAC) totaled nine hits on the day. Senior Ronnie Ladines had one hit and two RBIs in each game. Bailey Brownfield led the Flashes with three hits. Junior Holly Speers collected a hit in each game. Brownfield and Speers both scored two runs.
Freshman Madi Huck threw her first complete game and had a career-high six strikeouts.
Game 1: Miami 12, Kent State 4 (6 innings)
Miami exploded for eight runs in the top of the sixth inning to turn a tied game into a blowout victory. Jenna Jones homered to lead off the inning and give the RedHawks the lead for good. Jones then delivered the knockout blow with a grand slam later in the frame.
Kent State appeared to have momentum heading into the sixth after Holly Speers tied the game with a monster two-run home run with two outs in the fifth.
Miami opened the scoring on a Johniann Wahl home run to lead off the top of the second.
Ronnie Ladines gave the Flashes a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the inning with a blast to left-center that scored Bailey Brownfield, who singled to start the frame
The RedHawks went back ahead with three runs on four hits in the third.
Miami needed just three hits in the decisive inning and took advantage of five walks to plate eight runs.
Ladines (8-13) had eight strikeouts but allowed season-highs of 10 runs and eight walks in 5.2 innings. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Game 2: Miami 3, Kent State 2
Rylee Whispel's two-out double in the top of the seventh inning was the difference in Miami's 3-2 win.
Kent State collected its only three hits of the game to start the bottom of the second. Bailey Brownfield sent a shot back up the middle and moved to third on a double by Holly Speers. Ronnie Ladines then brought them both home with a single for a 2-0 lead. The Flashes loaded the bases with just one out but could not score more runs.
An error helped Miami get on the board in the fifth inning on a walk with the bases loaded. Starting pitcher Madi Huck got Whispel to hit it back to her and then threw to first to get out of the inning.
After issuing an intentional walk to load the bases with one out in the seventh, Huck got a huge strikeout to get Kent State within an out of earning a split. However, Whispel took advantage of her second chance and jumped on the first pitch she saw, giving it a ride to the warning track in center field to score a pair of runs.
Kent State threatened to earn a walk-off win with two walks in the bottom of the seventh, but Brownfield grounded out to end the game.
Huck (1-4) was terrific in her first career Mid-American Conference start, striking out six and allowing just two earned runs on six hits.
On Deck for the Flashes
Kent State and Miami will meet in the series finale Saturday at 1 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: FREDERICKS, Kelsey (9-6)
L: Ladines, Ronnie (8-13)
Batting:
2B: WAHL, Johniann 1 ; ANDERSON, Lauren 1
HR: WAHL, Johniann 1 ; JONES, Jenna 2
RBI: WAHL, Johniann 2 ; WHISPEL, Rylee 1 ; ANDERSON, Lauren 2 ; TRAN, Haeley 2 ; JONES, Jenna 5
SH: LEE, Kat 1
Base Running:
RUNS: MCCARVER, Eryn 2 ; WAHL, Johniann 3 ; WURTS, Megan 1 ; WHISPEL, Rylee 2 ; ANDERSON, Lauren 1 ; TRAN, Haeley 1 ; JONES, Jenna 2
Batting:
HR: Speers, Holly 1 ; Ladines, Ronnie 1
RBI: Speers, Holly 2 ; Ladines, Ronnie 2
SH: Grimm, Maddy 1 ; Brownfield, Bailey 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Brownfield, Bailey 1 ; Speers, Holly 1 ; Ladines, Ronnie 1 ; Cegledy, Maria 1
HBP: Brancifort, Hunter 1 ; Eckl, Kristyn 1
