Kent State University
6-8
Michigan
14-6
Solid Pitching Performances Lead Flashes in Doubleheader at No. 19/17 Michigan
3/10/2022 9:15:00 PM | Softball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The Kent State softball team nearly spoiled No. 19/17 Michigan's home opener on Thursday, regrouping after an 11-1 loss in the first game of a doubleheader at Alumni Field and tying the nightcap in the top of the seventh inning before the Wolverines walked off in the bottom half for a 4-3 victory.
Redshirt senior Andrea Scali and sophomore Jessica LeBeau allowed only five earned runs and combined for 12 strikeouts while issuing just a single walk over 10.2 innings.
Kent State (6-9) was led at the plate by sophomores Alex Fiske and Madison Hershberger, who both launched the first home runs of their Golden Flashes careers.
Game 1: #19/17 Michigan 11, Kent State 1 (5 innings)
Jessica LeBeau (3-4) totaled six strikeouts without any walks and allowed just three earned runs, but the Wolverines took advantage of six errors committed by Kent State to end the opening game after five innings.
Jade Ramer singled up the middle in the top of the first inning but was left standing at first base following back-to-back strikeouts.
Michigan got on the board in the bottom half of the inning with a sac fly after the first three batters reached safely. LeBeau recorded back-to-back strikeouts to get out of the frame.
The Wolverines extended it to 4-0 with a two-run homer in the second and an unearned run in the third.
Madison Hershberger launched her first home run as a Golden Flash in the top of the fourth.
Michigan plated seven unearned runs in the bottom of the fourth to push its lead to 11-1, and Kent State was held scoreless in the top of the fifth to bring the game to an end.
The Flashes collected two hits in the game and Ramer reached base in both of her plate appearances with a single and a walk.
Game 2: #19/17 Michigan 4, Kent State 3
Alex Fiske ended Meghan Beaubien's no-hit bid with a solo homer to lead off the top of the seventh inning and tie it, 3-3.
Starting pitcher Andrea Scali (0-4) appeared to retire the side in the bottom of the seventh, but a muffed throw extended the frame. After stealing second base, Audrey LeClair came around to score the winning run on a single through the right side by Ella McVey on the eighth pitch of her at-bat.
The Wolverines got the scoring started in the bottom of the first, which began with a leadoff single. Scali fanned the next batter before moving a runner into scoring position on a walk. Kent State attempted to turn a double play on a ball hit to the left side, but a wild throw resulted in the hosts taking a 1-0 lead.
Michigan added a two-run homer in the fifth to go ahead 3-0.
A pair of errors and hit batter to start the top of the sixth made it 3-1 and placed the tying run aboard. Back-to-back groundouts brought a second run home, with Jess Dodd picking up a RBI.
After Scali kept the Wolverines from scoring in the bottom of the sixth, Fiske launched a solo shot to the bleachers in right field, prompting a pitching change. Alex Storako got the first three batters she faced to pop up and gave Michigan a chance to win it in the bottom of the inning.
Scali retired the first two batters in the frame on a fly ball to left field and pop up on the infield. The next batter grounded to short, but the throw to first was not caught, extending the inning. A stolen base moved the winning run into scoring position. McVey fell behind 0-2 but fouled off a pair of pitches and worked the count to 2-2 before finding a gap on the right side for the winning hit.
Scali finished with six strikeouts over 6.2 innings in the circle. She allowed two earned runs on seven hits.
On Deck for the Flashes
Kent State and Michigan are scheduled to conclude the series on Sunday, March 13 at 1 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Storako, Alex (11-0)
L: LeBeau, Jessica (3-4)
Batting:
HR: Hershberger, Madison 1
RBI: Hershberger, Madison 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hershberger, Madison 1
Batting:
HR: Blair, Lexie 1 ; Tholl, Keke 1
RBI: Blair, Lexie 2 ; Burkhardt, Kristina 1 ; Carson, Hannah 1 ; Esman, Lauren 1 ; LeClair, Audrey 3 ; Tholl, Keke 3
SF: Carson, Hannah 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Blair, Lexie 3 ; Livingston, Melina 1 ; Burkhardt, Kristina 1 ; Carson, Hannah 2 ; Esman, Lauren 1 ; Bump, Taylor 1 ; LeClair, Audrey 1 ; Tholl, Keke 1
HBP: Livingston, Melina 1
