Kent State University
Fordham
Kent State Softball Visits Fordham for Saturday Twinbill
4/8/2022 7:04:00 PM | Softball
Kent State will travel to the Bronx for a softball doubleheader against Fordham on Saturday, April 9. First pitch at Bahoshy Field is scheduled for 1 p.m. and both contests will be streamed on ESPN+.
Series Schedule
Saturday, April 9
1 p.m. Game 1 (ESPN+)
3 p.m. Game 2 (ESPN+)
Last Time Out
Kent State (11-18) took two of three games from Central Michigan, which entered in first place in the Mid-American Conference standings, in a series at the Diamond at Dix earlier this week. The Golden Flashes were shut out (4-0) for the seventh time this season in the opener before winning the final two games, 2-1 and 6-3, to capture their first MAC series win.
Both teams scored eight runs in the series, but Kent State posted an improved .292 team batting average. Sophomore Madison Hershberger hit .556 to lead the way and had a career-high three hits in the series finale. Junior Julia Mazanec and freshman Savannah Wing both hit .500, while fifth-year Madyson Cole and sophomore Emily Lippe provided the biggest swings of the series. Cole launched a solo shot in the bottom of the sixth inning to score the winning run in the second game and Lippe's grand slam in the third inning was the difference in the finale on Wednesday.
Redshirt senior Andrea Scali and sophomore Jessica LeBeau were excellent in the circle, combining for a 2.00 ERA and 29 strikeouts while limiting the Chippewas to a .210 team batting average. Scali earned two victories, while LeBeau got a save in the finale.
Scouting Fordham
The Rams (16-14) defeated Manhattan on Wednesday following a three-game series sweep against UMass over the weekend to improve to 4-0 in April. Fordham has outscored its opponents 30-6 so far this month.
The long ball is a big part of the Rams' offense, as their 35 home runs are the most in the Atlantic 10. Fordham has launched multiple homers in six consecutive games entering the weekend. Rachel Hubertus is the A10 leader with 12 home runs and a .711 slugging percentage. Hubertus also has a team-best .330 batting average and 28 RBIs. Julia Martine and Bailey Enoch ranks second and third respectively, in the A10 in homers. Martine has eight home runs and 19 RBIs, while Enoch has six home runs and 17 RBIs. Brianna Pinto provides speed on the base paths and is the A10 lead with 18 stolen bases.
The pitching staff leads the A10 with a 3.40 earned run average. Devon Miller (6-8) has a 2.94 ERA and has thrown three shutouts. The All-A10 First Team pitcher leads the Rams with 75 strikeouts in 78.2 innings. Makenzie McGrath (5-3) and Enoch (3-3) have combined for 101 innings inside the circle.
Series History
In the only previous meeting, Kent State scored seven runs in the top of the sixth to finish off a 14-5 victory at the Duke Invitational on March 6, 2020. The Golden Flashes totaled 17 hits in the game, led by Brenna Brownfield's career-best 4-for-5 day at the plate.
On Deck for the Flashes
Kent State will visit Robert Morris for a single game at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, April 12 before returning to Mid-American Conference action at Northern Illinois next weekend.
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