Oakley Records 100th KSU Win in Season Opener

Friday, February 8

Fort Myers, Fla.

12:15 P.M.

Kent State University

1-0

LIU Brooklyn

0-2

LIU-Brooklyn

Kent State

Oakley Records 100th KSU Win in Season Opener

2/8/2019 9:32:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Fort Myers, Fla. – Fourth year Kent State head coach Eric Oakley recorded his 100th win at the school in the Golden Flashes season-opening, 7-1, victory against LIU Brooklyn (0-2) at the FGCU Kickoff Classic. Oakley becomes just the third head coach in program history to reach the milestone and the fastest to do so.

"To reach win No. 100 is a compliment to the team and program I inherited and I'm happy to be a part of such a great tradition," remarked Oakley. "We have a great history at this program and I benefited from a winning attitude and a great campus. I couldn't have done it without this fantastic group of young women that I'm blessed to coach everyday."

The long-awaited debut of redshirt freshman pitcher Andrea Scali was worth the wait as she was sensational, firing a complete game one-hitter with 12 strikeouts. The Parma, Ohio native missed last season with an injury.

Kent State (1-1) had a chance to tie it in the top of the seventh against host FGCU (1-0), who is receiving votes in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll, but came up just short in a, 2-0, setback. Sophomore pitcher Madi Huck turned in a quality start, allowing one earned run over six frames of work.

Game 1: Kent State 7, LIU Brooklyn 1

Scali began her collegiate career with an exclamation point in the top of the first inning when she struck out the side in order.

The Golden Flashes offense fired the opening salvo in the bottom of the first inning when sophomore Brenna Brownfield shot a single to right to score sophomore Kennadie Goth from second base.

In the second frame with two on and two out, sophomore Kaitlyn Miller clubbed a towering blast over the right field wall for her first collegiate home run and gave the Flashes a four-run advantage.

LIU Brooklyn scored their lone run in the top of the fourth inning on a throwing error from Scali that ricocheted off the wall behind first base which allowed the run to score. Later in the inning, the Blackbirds picked up their lone hit of the game on a ball that was fisted toward the left side.

Kent State resumed its scoring ways in the fifth inning when junior Maria Cegledy got in on the act with a hard shot single to center that drove in Brenna Brownfield.

The Flashes tacked on two more in the sixth inning when sophomore Alexis Taube ripped her first career triple to right field and swiftly slid into third beating the relay throw. Senior Hunter Brancifort was called upon to pinch hit and delivered with an infield single that scored Taube. Senior Bailey Brownfield, who led the team in doubles last season, spanked a two-bagger to left that scored Brancifort from first.

Scali (1-0) went the distance and punched out 12 batters and allowed just one hit, two walks and did not allow an earned run in the complete game. LIU Brooklyn's Victoria Lowe (0-1) was tagged with the loss and fired 5.2 frames allowing nine hits, seven earned runs, with four walks and two strikeouts.

Game 2: FGCU 2, Kent State 0

Former FGCU ASUN Pitcher of the Year Riley Randolph made it tough sledding for the Golden Flashes bats all evening, as Kent State was only able to muster four hits and two runners in scoring position. The Flashes did have a chance with the tying run at the plate in the bottom of the seventh with two outs but Brancifort scorched a frozen rope right into the second baseman's glove.

Huck went step-for-step with Randolph and only allowed one earned run.

The Eagles jumped on the scoreboard in the second inning with a two out single back of the middle by Mikenzie Vaughn.

The Flashes had an opportunity to put together a productive inning when Bailey Brownfield led off the fourth with a base hit to center and junior pinch runner Olivia Sborlini stole second base with one out. However, she was left stranded to end the inning.

In the bottom of the fifth, FGCU advanced a runner to third base on a passed ball and scored an unearned tally on a sacrifice fly to right by Reedy Davenport.

Sophomore Carlee Selle gave the Flashes life in the top of the seventh with two outs, and laced a double to left that drew chalk, but Kent State could not score.

Huck (0-1) was the tough luck loser and dealt six innings allowing two runs and one earned run with three strikeouts and no walks. Randolph (1-0) went the distance for FGCU and allowed four hits with seven strikeouts and one walk.

Up Next

The Golden Flashes are back in action Saturday, Feb. 9 at 10 a.m. against LIU Brooklyn and at 12:15 vs. Penn State.

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