Kent State University
Case Western Reserve
Softball to Host Case Western Reserve Sunday At Noon
4/17/2021 12:37:00 PM | Softball
The Kent State softball team will play a single game against Case Western Reserve on Sunday at the Diamond at Dix. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m.
Follow the Action
The game will be streamed on BoxCast. Live stats will be available on KentStateSports.com, and game updates will also be posted on the @KentStSoftball Twitter account.
Last Time Out
Kent State dropped three games last weekend at first-place Ball State before the final game of the series was rained out. The Golden Flashes (11-17) nearly handed the Cardinals their first Mid-American Conference loss in two of the games, but the hosts scored in the sixth inning to win 1-0 in the first game and hit a walk-off three-run homer in the seventh in the third game. Kent State left 28 runners on base during the series and was outscored 13-5 overall.
Junior Brooklyn Whitt and senior Alexis Taube accounted for all of the Flashes' RBIs and both extra-base hits in the series. Whitt went 5-for-10 with a double and two RBIs, while Taube was 3-for-9 with a double and three RBIs. Junior Sabrina Kerschner added four hits and scored a team-high three runs.
Freshman Jessica LeBeau tossed complete games in a pair of tough-luck losses. LeBeau had a 3.32 ERA over 12.2 innings with six strikeouts and zero walks. Gabbie Sherman had her second straight solid outing, allowing three runs in 4.2 innings in the circle.
About the Flashes
Kent State ranks fourth in the conference with 4.79 runs per game and their .296 team batting average is fifth. The bats have exploded since the beginning of the MAC season, as the Golden Flashes are hitting .355 and averaging 6.60 runs over the first 15 hames.
The outfield trio of junior Brooklyn Whitt, senior Alexis Taube and senior Kennadie Goth are the Flashes' top hitters on the season. Whitt has established herself as the starter in center field ranks in the top-five in the MAC in hits (36), batting average (.450) and on-base percentage (.527) while also leading Kent State with 19 runs scored, eight doubles and five stolen bases. Taube's 27 RBIs are the third-most in the MAC and also ranks in the top-10 in batting average (.403), home runs (5) and slugging percentage (.681). Goth is hitting .405 out of the leadoff spot in the lineup and has a team-high six sacrifice bunts.
Freshman Jessica LeBeau (8-8) has been the Flashes' top pitcher with 11 complete games, including three shutouts. LeBeau ranks fourth in the MAC in strikeouts per seven innings (8.74), total strikeouts (119) and wins (8).
Scouting Case Western Reserve
The Spartans (20-6) outscored Defiance, 17-1, in a doubleheader on Monday to extend their winning streak to 10 games. Case Western Reserve's prolific offense boasts a .372 batting average, and the Spartans have outscored their opponents 202-91.
Sarah Miller has been among the top Division III players in the country this season, ranking second with 10 home runs and third with 27 stolen bases while hitting .418 and driving in a team-best 28 runs. Arisa Cleveland leads the team with a .444 batting average and has recorded 21 RBIs and 19 stolen bases. Kela Jagoda owns a .435 batting average and has swiped 14 bases. Sidney Brannam (16-1) is the ace of the pitching staff with a 1.58 ERA and 79 strikeouts in 106 innings.
Series History
This will be the first time the Golden Flashes and Spartans meet on the softball diamond.
On Deck for the Flashes
Kent State is scheduled to continue its play a doubleheader against Buffalo on Tuesday afternoon at the Diamond at Dix.
