Softball’s Season Comes to a Close in Postseason

Saturday, May 18

Lynchburg, Va.

10:00 A.M.

Kent State University

28-26

Marshall

42-21

Kent State

Marshall

Photo by: David Dermer

Softball’s Season Comes to a Close in Postseason

5/18/2019 2:44:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

LYNCHBURG, Va. – Kent State (28-26) tried to mount a comeback against Marshall (42-21) in the seventh inning, but came up just short in a 4-2 setback. Kent State's season came to a close in the National Invitational Softball Championship (NISC) in the Lynchburg Regional hosted by Liberty University.

"This was a valuable experience for us as a program to compete in this tournament," said Kent State head coach Eric Oakley. "When you look at the quality of teams we played this year and that we finished with the highest RPI in the MAC, it was a successful year for a number of reasons. Our senior class did a great job guiding our team this season."

How it Happened

Marshall scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning on a three-run homer by Mya Stevenson to take the lead. The Golden Flashes scored a single run in the third on a Jen Cader infield single that plated pinch runner Vanessa Vodan to cut it within two.

In the third, Stevenson struck again for the Thundering Herd with a solo homer as she plated every Marshall run of the game.

Kent State's Hunter Brancifort led off the sixth with a solo jack to cut the deficit in half and set up an attempted comeback in the seventh.

The Flashes received a leadoff hit from Carlee Selle and then Brancifort singled with two outs to bring the go-ahead run to the plate, but the Flashes could not score.

Madi Huck (5-12) took the loss and worked 2.0 innings allowing three hits and three earned runs with two strikeouts. Anilese Kelly was exceptional out of the bullpen and kept the Flashes in the game, throwing 4.0 innings of scoreless ball while only allowing two hits while striking out two.

Cader, Brancifort and Turner were all named to the NISC Lynchburg Regional All-Tournament team.