Softball Looks to Repeat at MAC Tournament

Wednesday, May 9

Akron, Ohio

10:30 A.M.

Kent State University

Western Michigan

Photo by: David Dermer

Softball Looks to Repeat at MAC Tournament

5/8/2018 2:15:00 PM | Softball

Kent State (28-21, 14-9 MAC) begins its Mid-American Conference Tournament title defense on Wednesday, May 9th at 10:30 a.m. when it takes on Western Michigan (28-23, 14-10 MAC) in the first round at Firestone Stadium in Akron. The Golden Flashes enter the postseason winning nine of their last 10 league games and will play from the No. 4 seed for the second straight year. KSU has qualified for the MAC Tournament for the 15th consecutive year, the longest streak in the conference.

An automatic bid to an NCAA Regional is on the line, as eight teams will compete in the double-elimination tournament, which is scheduled through Saturday. The championship game set for Saturday at 11:30 a.m.

Follow the Flashes
Fans can listen live to all of Kent State's game throughout the week, which will air on the Golden Flashes iHeartRadio channel. Additionally, the MAC will be providing live stats and a video stream on the softball championships page of its website.

Be sure to follow @KentStSoftball on Twitter and Instagram for updates, photos and videos from Firestone Stadium throughout the week.

Flashes at the MAC Tournament
Kent State owns three MAC Tournament titles (2006, 2008, 2017) and is one of only two schools to win the tournament multiple times over the past decade. The Flashes are 32-30 all-time in conference tournament games and 20-19 in tournament games played at Firestone Stadium.

#FlashFacts
- Holly Speers leads the nation in batting average (.500), on-base percentage (.667), slugging percentage (1.079) and walks (1.21). She is ninth in runs batted in per game (0.36), 15th in home runs (17) and 17th in RBIs (56). Speers is the first player in program history to be named to a USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 25 Finalist. She also set the record this year for the highest on-base percentage, slugging percentage and walks (57) in MAC history and ranks tied for fourth in home runs (48).
- Kent State had six players named to All-MAC teams. Speers and Bailey Brownfield were named to the first team and Maria Cegledy, Kennadie Goth, Madi Huck and Brenna Brownfield earned a second team spot.
- Kent State has won nine 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 twice.
- 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.
- The Golden Flashes are hitting .315 as a team which leads the conference and ranks 15th nationally. Kent State's .390 on-base percentage is 29th in the country and rank 30th in fielding percentage (.972).
- 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 23-8 when scoring first and are 2-2 in extra innings.
- 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.

Success in the MAC
Kent State has a 70-34 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.

On Deck for the Flashes
Kent State will play either No. Ohio or No. 8 Miami on Thursday. A complete schedule for the weekend can be found on the 2018 MAC Softball Tournament Central page.