Kent State University
Buffalo
Kent State Softball Hosts Buffalo for Midweek Series
4/24/2023 5:37:00 PM | Softball
Kent State returns to Devine Diamond for a midweek Mid-American Conference softball series against Buffalo.
Tuesday's series opener is scheduled for 3 p.m. The contest is designated as a FlaSHEs Will game, a partnership with the Women's Center to highlight Kent State's female student-athletes. A doubleheader is scheduled for 1 p.m. Wednesday.
About the Flashes
Kent State (12-28, 7-11 MAC) took two of three games from host Western Michigan over the weekend. The Golden Flashes scored a season-high 11 runs to complete a Friday doubleheader sweep. Redshirt senior Alexandria Whitmore had multiple hits in all three games and batted .583 for the series. Whitmore hit her first collegiate home run and scored a team-high four runs. Junior Emily Lippe and sophomore Delaney Robeson also homered against the Broncos. Lippe led Kent State with four RBIs.
On the season, freshman Bri Despines leads the offense with a .321 batting average and nine doubles while driving in 16 runs. Despines has reached base in 22 of the last 24 games and has a team-high .453 on-base percentage. Redshirt senior Alexandria Whitmore has recorded a hit in 18 of the last 19 games and is batting .397 against MAC pitchers. Junior Emily Lippe is fourth in the MAC with 11 home runs and has a team-best 27 RBIs.
Freshman Macy Irelan (6-11) has recorded 61 strikeouts in a team-high 31 appearances and is tied for the conference lead with three saves. Redshirt senior Anilese Kelly (5-12) leads the pitching staff with 75 strikeouts over 118.0 innings and a 4.21 ERA.
Scouting Buffalo
The Bulls (10-31, 4-13 MAC) have lost 12 straight after series sweeps by Miami, Akron, Ball State and Central Michigan. Buffalo ranks last in the conference with a .204 team batting average and 2.51 runs scored per game.
Alexis Lucyshyn leads the Bulls both in the pitching circle and inside the batter's box. Lucyshyn is the MAC leader in strikeouts per seven innings (7.7) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.90) with a 6-14 record and 2.92 ERA. She has a team-high .279 batting average, five home runs and 16 RBIs. Madison Fernimen also has 16 RBIs to share the team lead. Abby Nagel is tied for fourth in the conference with 11 doubles while leading Buffalo with 35 hits and 16 runs scored.
Series History
Kent State is 45-14 all-time against Buffalo. The Golden Flashes won 11 straight in the series from 2015-18 but has lost four of the last five meetings. The Bulls have won four in a row by a combined score of 16-4. Head coach Eric Oakley has gone 10-5 against the Bulls.
On Deck
Kent State will play its final road series of the season against Bowling Green on April 29-30.
Follow the Flashes
Be sure to follow the Golden Flashes on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for news and updates about the team.
