Kent State University
Texas Tech
Softball Visits #17/19 Texas Tech Tuesday Night
2/17/2020 4:22:00 PM | Softball
The Kent State softball team remains in the Lone Star State to play at #17/19 Texas Tech on Tuesday night. First pitch from Rocky Johnson Field is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET.
The game will be streamed on Texas Tech TV and can also be followed via live stats.
Last Time Out
The Golden Flashes (7-2) went 4-1 over the weekend at the Maverick Classic. Led by senior Madi Huck and redshirt sophomore Andrea Scali, the pitching staff posted a 1.06 earned run average and held opposing hitters to a .109 batting average. Huck won both of her starts and did not allow an earned run over 12 innings in the circle, while Scali went 2-1 with a save and 1.12 earned run average while striking out 32 in 18.2 innings.
Reigning MAC Player of the Year Brenna Brownfield reached safely in all seven of her plate appearances on Friday and batted .571 with three RBIs over the five-game weekend. Junior Kaitlyn Miller made her season debut and totaled a team-best six RBIs. Miller batted .385 and had three doubles. Sophomore Sabrina Kerschner led Kent State with six runs scored while extending her reached bases streak to seven games. Junior Carlee Selle added six hits.
Flash Facts
Led by five players hitting better than .360, Kent State owns a .312 team batting average through the first two weekends of the season. Sophomore Sabrina Kerschner has been the table-setter in the leadoff spot and leads the Flashes with nine runs scored and a .556 on-base percentage. Junior Brenna Brownfield has been the top run producer out of the three-hole and is the team leader in batting average (.480), slugging percentage (.880), home runs (3) and RBIs (9). Senior Maria Cegledy and junior Kaitlyn Miller share the team lead with three doubles while driving in six runs each.
Kent State leads the Mid-American Conference in ERA (2.17), shutouts (2), strikeouts (76) and opponent batting average (.167). Senior Madi Huck (3-0) and redshirt sophomore Andrea Scali (3-2) share the conference lead with three wins each. Huck has a MAC-best 0.39 ERA while ranking second with a .123 opponent batting average. Scali, the reigning MAC Pitcher of the Year, is tied for 13th nationally with 48 strikeouts. Since a rough outing in her first start of the season at No. 16 Georgia, she has allowed just six hits over 26.2 innings.
Scouting the Opposition
Texas Tech (7-3) is coming off a heartbreaking extra-innings loss to top-ranked Washington in which it allow single runs in the sixth and seventh innings before a six-run onslaught in the eighth on Sunday at the St. Pete/Clearwater Elite Invitational. The Red Raiders followed an unbeaten opening weekend with a 2-3 record at the tournament, which included wins over ranked South Carolina and Georgia teams.
Heaven Burton has been the top hitter through two weekends and leads Texas Tech in batting average (.342), hits (13), runs (7) and stolen bases (5). Zoe Jones leads the way with three home runs and 10 RBIs. Breanna Russell and Kelcy Leach have provided power with two homers each. All-American Karli Hamilton, who hit just under .400 a year ago went hitless over the Red Raiders' first four games this past weekend before going 2-for-4 against Washington.
Erin Edmoundson (4-1) has been the ace in the circle and owns a 1.19 earned run average while striking out 38 in 35.1 innings.
Series History
This will be the first meeting between Kent State and Texas Tech on the softball diamond.
On Deck for the Flashes
Kent State will not be in action this weekend and returns to competition at the Woo Pig Classic in Arkansas from February 28-March 1.
