Kent State University
Bowling Green
Kent State Heads to Bowling Green for Weekend Softball Series
4/22/2021 2:59:00 PM | Softball
Kent State will visit Bowling Green for a four-game Mid-American Conference series this weekend. The series replaces the originally scheduled home series against Western Michigan, which the conference announced last week has been postponed due to COVID-19 protocols.
Due to the forecast of inclement weather on Saturday, doubleheaders will be play on Friday and Saturday with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. on both days.
Follow the Action
The entire series will be streamed with links for viewing to be provided later in the evening. Game updates will also be posted on the @KentStSoftball Twitter account.
Last Time Out
Kent State (13-18, 9-8 MAC) split a doubleheader with Buffalo on Tuesday. Following a 2-1 loss in the first game, the Golden Flashes' bats exploded in a 10-3 nightcap victory.
Megan Turner led the way with three hits, including two home runs and five RBIs in the second game. Sabrina Kerschner also had four hits, while Kennadie Goth and Alexis Taube added a pair of hits each. Emily Lippe provided a clutch single with two outs in the bottom of the third inning that scored three runs and gave Kent State the lead for good. Chloe Cruz, Kiley Lewandowski and Jade Ramer all collected their first collegiate hit in the second game.
Gabbie Sherman and Jessica LeBeau both tossed complete games, combining for 14 strikeouts to four walks and allowing just two earned runs.
About the Flashes
Kent State ranks fourth in the conference with 4.84 runs per game and a .296 team batting average.
The outfield trio of junior Brooklyn Whitt, Kennadie Goth and senior Alexis Taube, 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 batting average (.418) and on-base percentage (.500). She leads Kent State with 20 runs scored, 38 hits, eight doubles and six stolen bases. Goth owns a .417 batting average out of the leadoff spot in the lineup and has hit .517 over the past nine games. Taube has a career-best .400 batting average while leading the Flashes with five home runs, 27 RBIs and a .650 slugging percentage.
Freshman Jessica LeBeau (8-9) has been the Flashes' top pitcher with 11 complete games, including three shutouts. LeBeau ranks third in the MAC in total strikeouts (129) and strikeouts per seven innings (8.82), while ranking fifth in ERA (3.08). Sophomore Gabbie Sherman (4-7) has earned wins in both of her appearances this week, striking out 15 batters while allowing just one earned run over 15.2 innings.
Scouting Bowling Green
The Falcons (18-18, 10-11 MAC) have won three in a row after taking the final two games of a weekend series at Ohio and then defeated rival Toledo, 5-3, in nine innings on Tuesday. Bowling Green trailed 6-1 in the top of the fourth inning when the second game of the doubleheader was paused due to deteriorating field conditions. Scoring runs against the Falcons has been difficult this season, as they lead the MAC in fielding percentage (.972) and rank third in earned run average (3.61).
Ace Payton Gottshall has 193 strikeouts and six shutouts, which rank seventh and 10th nationally, respectively. Gottshall has the MAC's best ERA (1.66) and is second in opponent batting average (.163). Greta L'Esperance has a conference-best 48 hits on the season and leads BG with a .369 batting average and 26 runs scored. Madi McCoy is fourth in the MAC in hits (40) and RBIs (27) while hitting .354 and leading the Falcons in doubles (10), home runs (4) and slugging percentage (.566).
Series History
Kent State is 71-45-1 all-time against Bowling Green. The Golden Flashes' 17-game win streak came to an end in the most recent contest, a 2-1 Falcons win on May 4, 2019. Andrea Scali tossed a perfect game in a 4-0 victory in the first game of the day's doubleheader. It was Scali's third no-hitter of the season and Kent State's first perfect game since Ronnie Ladines at Buffalo in 2017 (five innings) and the first seven-inning perfect game since Paige Stitz in 1983 against Ohio Northern. Kent State pitchers recorded 11 shutouts during the 17-game win streak.
On Deck for the Flashes
Kent State is scheduled to travel to Buffalo to conclude the season series with a doubleheader on Wednesday, April 28.
