Kent State University
Buffalo
Flashes Visit Buffalo to Conclude Season Series
4/27/2021 12:25:00 PM | Softball
Kent State returns to Mid-American Conference action on Tuesday when Buffalo visits the Diamond at Dix for a 1 p.m. doubleheader.
Follow the Action
Both games will be streamed on YouTube. Game updates will also be posted on the @KentStSoftball Twitter account.
Last Time Out
Kent State (16-19, 12-9 MAC) won the first three games of a series at Bowling Green over the weekend and outscored the Falcons 9-2 over the four games. Jessica LeBeau and Gabbie Sherman each tossed a shutout and gave the Golden Flashes an opportunity to win each game. LeBeau had a pair of complete game victories and totaled 18 strikeouts over 16 innings with a 0.44 ERA. Sherman went 1-1 with a 0.64 ERA over 11 innings.
Kennadie Goth and Sabrina Kerschner led Kent State at the plate with five hits apiece, while Brooklyn Whitt added four hits and scored a team-high three runs. Megan Turner hit her team-leading sixth home runs and had five RBIs.
About the Flashes
Kent State has won four of its last five games and sits third in the MAC standings. The Golden Flashes rank fourth in the conference with a .291 team batting average fifth in runs per game (4.54).
The outfield trio of senior Kennadie Goth, junior Brooklyn Whitt and senior Alexis Taube are the Flashes' top hitters on the season. Goth's career-best .412 batting average ranks fourth in the MAC and is second on the team with 40 hits. Whitt has established herself as the starter in center field is sixth in the MAC in hits (42), batting average (.412) and on-base percentage (.483). She leads Kent State with 23 runs scored, eight doubles and seven stolen bases. Taube has a career-best .366 batting average and leads the Flashes with a .581 slugging percentage to go with five home runs and 28 RBIs. Junior Megan Turner raised her batting average to .300 over the weekend and now leads the team with six home runs and 28 RBIs.
Freshman Jessica LeBeau (10-9) has been the Flashes' top pitcher with 14 complete games, including four shutouts. LeBeau ranks third in the MAC in strikeouts per seven innings (8.70), total strikeouts (147) and wins (10) while ranking fourth in ERA (2.72). Sophomore Gabbie Sherman (5-8) has been stellar in her past four appearances, allowing just two earned runs over 26.2 innings for a 0.53 ERA. Sherman has recorded 20 strikeouts and walked only four batters during these outings.
Scouting Buffalo
The Bulls (12-27, 8-14 MAC) won the final two games against Central Michigan after losing both games of a Friday doubleheader. Buffalo outscored the Chippewas 34-26 over the four-game series behind a .348 team batting average and nine home runs. Anna Aguon, Alexis Matheney and Alicia Peters powered the offense, as each had multiple homers and at least seven RBIs. Buffalo hitters have struck out 279 times this season, which is 35 more times than any other team in the conference, and rank 10th with a .230 team batting average. Bulls pitchers rank 10th in the MAC in earned run average (5.99) and last in opponent batting average (.336).
Two-time All-MAC performer Anna Aguon leads UB once again at the plate with a .345 batting average, 24 runs scored and six doubles. Aguon has seven home runs, 23 RBIs and 11 stolen bases overall and is hitting .444 against MAC pitching. Alexis Lucyshyn has increased her power numbers during league play and leads the Bulls with nine home runs and 25 RBIs. Ally Marcano (5-10) has been UB's top pitcher this season with 66 strikeouts and a 5.27 ERA over 79.2 innings. Lucyshyn (4-6) and Madelyn Hickingbottom (2-7) have also thrown more than 40 innings in the circle for the Bulls.
Series History
Kent State is 44-9 all-time against Buffalo but have not met on the diamond since 2018. The Golden Flashes' 11-game win streak came to an end last Tuesday, as the Bulls used a pair of solo home runs to for a 2-1 win. Kent State won the second game of the doubleheader, 10-3, and has outscored the Bulls 74-9 over the last nine games.
On Deck for the Flashes
Kent State will honor its 2020 and 2021 senior classes during this weekend's home series against Central Michigan.
