Kent State University
Akron
Golden Flashes and Zips to Square Off in Regular Season Finale
5/3/2018 2:31:00 PM | Softball
The Kent State softball team (26-20, 12-8 MAC) plays its last regular season series at home against Akron (3-42-1, 2-19 MAC) before gearing up for the Mid-American Conference Tournament next week. Game one of the series is scheduled for Friday, May 4th at 3 p.m. with a doubleheader on tap for Saturday, May 5th beginning at 1 p.m. Game two will follow 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first game and senior day festivities will take place after the second game. A Crystal Clinic Orthapedic Wagon Wheel Challenge point is on the line, with the winner of the series taking home a point.
Media Information
Golden Flashes iHeart Radio (Game 1 only)
Live Stats
Live Stream:Â Â (Friday)Â Â (Saturday)
Game Notes
Last Time Out
The Golden Flashes fell in their final midweek nonconference game on the road to Pitt, 14-4, in five innings on Tuesday. Emily Dobbin highlighted an eight-hit day for the offense with a 3-for-3 performance and her first career multi-homer game and drove in all four Kent State runs.
Last weekend, Kent State swept its second straight Mid-American Conference series, winning all three games on the road against Bowling Green, and extended its league winning streak to six games. Kent State opened the series with a big 7-0 win before winning a pair of one-run contests, 4-3, and, 2-1, on Saturday. The Flashes locked up a spot in the MAC Tournament and have qualified for postseason play for the 15th consecutive year.
Speers Named USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 25 Finalist
Kent State senior infielder Holly Speers has been named one of the 25 finalists for the 2018 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award, as announced by USA Softball. Speers, who currently leads the country in batting average (.509), on base percentage (.673), slugging percentage (1.093) and walks per game (1.23), is the first Golden Flash to ever be named a finalist for the award.
Speers is coming off a week (April 24) in which she swept both national weekly awards and was named the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Week and the Louisville Slugger/NFCA National Player of the Week. She put up monster numbers with a .778 batting average (7-for-9) with four home runs, two doubles, two walks, 11 RBI while recording a 2.333 slugging percentage. The Surrey, B.C. native has claimed five Mid-American Conference East Division Player of the Week awards this season.
#FlashFacts
- Speers has reached base in 13 consecutive plate appearances, which is tied for fifth in NCAA history. She has walked 54 times this season, which is a MAC record, and her 47 Â career home runs are tied for sixth in league history.
- She leads the nation in batting average (.509), on-base percentage (.673), slugging percentage (1.093) and walks per game (1.23).
- Kent State has won eight weekly awards this season. Holly Speers was named MAC East Player of the Week five times, Emily Dobbin and Bailey Brownfield once and Madi Huck MAC East Pitcher of the Week once.
- Bailey Brownfield hit .481 in April with six doubles and 19 RBIs. She is second on the team with a .441 batting average in conference play with a team-high 23 RBIs.
- Kent State leads the MAC with a .312 team batting average and a .972 fielding percentage. The Golden Flashes rank 18th nationally in team batting average.
- Kent State has five walk-off wins this season. KSU came back from trailing by five entering the sixth against Western Michigan and came back to beat Toledo. Both were the first game of the series. The Flashes are 21-8 when scoring first and are 2-2 in extra innings.
- KSU has clubbed two grand slam home runs this season. Hunter Brancifort hit a grand slam in the first weekend of the season against Rider to tie the game in the seventh. Speers also hit a pinch hit grand slam against Pitt.
- The Golden Flashes senior class of Emily Dobbin, Allie Luther, Vanessa Scoarste, Kylee Southers and Holly Speers became the winningest class in school history with their 137th victory. Kent State continued its winning ways over Bowling Green with its 16th consecutive win.
Kent State Selected to win MAC East and MAC Tournament
The Golden Flashes were picked in the MAC's preseason coaches' poll to win the MAC East Division and MAC Tournament. Kent State was picked to win the MAC East Division in back-to-back seasons. KSU has won a MAC championship in three straight years with two regular season crowns in 2015 and 2016 and a tournament title a season ago.
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Success in the MAC
Kent State has a 68-33 record in MAC play over the last four seasons with three championships. The Golden Flashes are also one of only two programs to win the tournament multiple times in the last decade. Under head coach Eric Oakley, Kent State has a 7-3 record in the MAC Tournament.
Series History / Scouting Akron
Kent State has a 74-46-1 lead in the all-time series against the Zips. Under head coach Eric Oakley, the Flashes are 4-2 against Akron.
Akron has dealt with pitching injuries all season and are 2-19 in league play. Freshman Kayla Kmett has thrown the bulk of the season with 125.2 innings pitched and leads the team with 57 strikeouts. Kooper Vertz has appeared in 29 games for the Zips and struck out 42.
Cassie Gillespie leads the team with a .311 batting average with 13 RBIs which is second on the team. Kimberly Rodriguez and Maddy Clowdus are tied for the team-lead with five home runs each. Rodriguez is also a threat to run and leads the team with 15 stolen bases. The Zips lead the MAC with 52 stolen bases.
Up Next
The Golden Flashes will play in the MAC Tournament for the 15th consecutive season next week at Firestone Stadium in Akron. Check with kentstatesports.com after this weekend's series for game times and opponent information. Â
