Flashes Win Third Straight on Facher’s Walk-Off Hit

Saturday, February 10

Elon, N.C.

9:30 a.m.

Kent State University

3-2

Evansville

0-3

Evansville

Kent State

Photo by: David Dermer

Flashes Win Third Straight on Facher’s Walk-Off Hit

2/10/2024 5:00:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

ELON, N.C. – Freshman Ellie Facher gave the Kent State softball team a 5-4 victory over Evansville with a walk-off RBI single on Saturday morning as opening weekend came to an end at the Elon Softball Classic.

The Golden Flashes (3-2) have now won three in a row and totaled 10 hits on Saturday to give them double-digit base knocks in each contest during opening weekend.

Kent State trailed 3-0 after allowing single runs in the second, third and fourth innings.

Three consecutive singles to start the fourth inning loaded the bases, and freshman Megan Claerhout made it four in a row, scoring sophomores Carley Penner and Bri Despines. Sophomore Sydney Shammo then scored the tying run on a groundout by junior Delaney Robeson.

Freshman Megan Nuechterlein entered in the circle to start the top of the fifth and retired the side. Graduate student Alexandria Whitmore was hit by a pitch to start the bottom of the inning and moved to second on Penner's sac bunt. Following a walk, senior Emily Lippe brought Whitmore home with a single to give the Flashes their first lead.

Evansville tied it, 4-4, in the sixth with a double and two-out single.

With one out in the bottom of the seventh, Lippe and Claerhout recorded back-to-back singles to place the winning run in scoring position. A routine fly ball followed to give Kent State just one out to work with prior to extra innings. Facher fell behind 0-2 but was able to foul off a pair of pitches while working the count full before sending a shot to right field and bringing in the winning run.

Lippe went 3-for-4 at the plate to tie her career-high for hits and Claerhout had multiple hits and multiple RBIs for the first time as a Flash.

Nuechterlein (2-1) earned the victory, striking out one and allowing one run over the final three innings.

Kent State will take a week off and return to action at the UNCW Tournament on Feb. 23-25.

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