Sherman Fans 11 Batters in Sunday Victory

Sunday, April 18

Kent, Ohio

12:00 p.m.

Kent State University

12-17

Case Western Reserve

20-7

Case Western Reserve

Kent State

Photo by: Gabby Kingston

4/18/2021 4:41:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Box Score

KENT, Ohio – Sophomore Gabbie Sherman had a career-high 11 strikeouts and senior Madyson Cole delivered a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the 11th inning as Kent State defeated Case Western Reserve, 5-4, at the Diamond at Dix on Sunday.

Sherman (3-7) entered with one out in the top of the third inning and held the Spartans scoreless until a leadoff two-run homer in the 10th. The right-hander regained her composure and retired the next three batters. After her teammates tied the game in the bottom half of the inning, Sherman set down all three batters in the 11th. She allowed one earned run and walked just one batter over 8.2 innings.

The Golden Flashes (12-17) got on the board in the bottom of the first. Senior Kennadie Goth singled, stole second and moved to third on a sac bunt. Case Western Reserve's starting pitcher snagged a ball hit up the middle to prevent Goth from running home and tossed to first base for the second out of the frame, but she was able to score on a mishandled grounder off the bat of senior Alexis Taube to tie it 1-1.

Goth scored again in the third inning after a bunt single, advancing on a sac bunt, and then used her speed to beat a throw to third on a ball batted towards the pitching circle. Junior Megan Turner followed with a shot to the right side that was kept from going to the outfield by the second baseman to bring Goth home and make it 2-2.

Neither team was able to score again until the top of the 10th, which was the first inning in which the international tiebreaker went into effect. Sarah Miller hit her third home run of the day to give the Spartans a 4-2 lead.

The bottom of the inning began with Goth being placed on second base, and she came home to score for the third time on a double down the left field line by junior Sabrina Kerschner to start the frame. Taube roped a single through the left side to put runners on the corners, and Turner singled to left field to bring home the tying run.

Freshman Madison Hershberger was placed at second base to begin the bottom of the 11th. After the first batter was called out by the home plate umpire for contacting the ball while outside of the box, Madyson Cole stepped to the plate for the first time. The senior drove a low liner back through the circle and below the reach of the pitcher, and Hershberger was able to beat a throw to the plate for the winning run.

Kent State totaled 13 hits in the game. Goth left the way with three hits, while Kerschner, Turner and junior Brooklyn Whitt added two hits apiece.

The Golden Flashes will be back in action on Tuesday with a 1 p.m. doubleheader against Buffalo scheduled for 1 p.m.