Kent State University
5-3
Merrimack
2-6
Kent State Sweeps Merrimack in Doubleheader to Finish Weekend at UNCW
2/25/2024 2:37:00 PM | Softball
WILMINGTON, N.C. – The Kent State softball team defeated Merrimack in both games of a doubleheader by scores of 8-1 and 5-1, as weekend tournament action came to an end Sunday morning at UNCW.
The Golden Flashes (6-3) won both games in six innings, as each contest had a two-hour time limit due to the travel day.
Graduate student Julia Mazanec and sophomores Bri Despines and Carley Penner led the offense with three hits apiece. Mazanec had a team-high three runs scored and stole two bases while extending her hitting streak to six. Penner led Kent State with three RBIs. Despines has collected a hit in all nine games this season.
Game 1: Kent State 8, Merrimack 1 (6 innings)
Kent State trailed 1-0 prior to getting a chance to swing the bats but matched Merrimack's run in the bottom of the first. Alexandria Whitmore and Carley Penner started the frame with singles. The first out was recorded on a fly ball caught on the edge of the outfield grass by the shortstop, whose errant throw to second base in an attempt to turn two allowed Whitmore to score.
Whitmore's first home run of the season put the Golden Flashes ahead in the third inning. Penner followed by drawing a walk, stealing second and moving to third on a base hit by Bri Despines. She then scored on a sac fly by Savannah Wing to make it 3-1.
With two outs in the bottom of the fourth, Penner delivered her second hit of the game to plate a pair of teammates.
More two-out hitting led to three runs in the fifth. Delaney Robeson got it started with a double. Following a wild pitch and walk that placed runners on the corners, Robeson and Kenzie Bromley successfully executed a double-steal to make it 6-1. Julia Mazanec added a single that brought Bromley across the plate and then scored the final run on a dropped fly ball.
Megan Nuechterlein (4-1) earned the victory by tossing 2.1 scoreless relief innings with two strikeouts. Ella Esterby started the game in the circle and had a career-high five strikeouts in 2.1 innings.
Game 2: Kent State 5, Merrimack 1 (6 innings)
Emily Lippe gave Kent State the lead with a three-run blast in the top of the first inning.
The Golden Flashes extended the lead with two runs in the second. Ellie Facher, Julia Mazanec and Bri Despines recorded three singles in a row, with a throwing error on the final hit allowing Facher to score and Mazanec to advance to third. Carley Penner followed with a sac fly to make it 5-0.
Macy Irelan (2-1) held Merrimack scoreless through five innings before allowing one run on a walk and double to start the bottom of the sixth. Irelan recorded a season-high six strikeouts and allowed five hits. Megan Nuechterlein recorded the final three outs and had one strikeout.
On Deck for the Flashes
Kent State will look to extend its three-game winning streak next weekend at the Ole Miss Classic.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Nuechterlein, Megan (4-1)
L: NEIL (0-2)
Batting:
RBI: ARVAI 1
Base Running:
RUNS: LANPHER 1
SB: LANPHER 1
Batting:
2B: Robeson, Delaney 1 ; Bromley, Kenzie 1
HR: Whitmore, Alexandria 1
RBI: Whitmore, Alexandria 1 ; Penner, Carley 2 ; Wing, Savannah 1 ; Mazanec, Julia 1
SF: Wing, Savannah 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Whitmore, Alexandria 2 ; Penner, Carley 1 ; Robeson, Delaney 1 ; Bromley, Kenzie 2 ; Mazanec, Julia 2
SB: Penner, Carley 1 ; Robeson, Delaney 1 ; Bromley, Kenzie 3 ; Mazanec, Julia 1
CS: Shammo, Sydney 1
