Kent State University
Miami
Golden Flashes Ready for Final Road Series at Miami
4/25/2024 1:51:00 PM | Softball
Kent State hits the road for the final time to play first-place Miami in a three-game Mid-American Conference softball series. A single game is slated for 5 p.m. on Friday with a doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m.
About the Golden Flashes
Kent State (24-18, 9-10 MAC) defeated Cleveland State, 10-2 on Tuesday, to extend its winning streak to four and sits sixth in the conference standings.
The Golden Flashes are hitting better than .300 for the first time since 2018 and rank third in the MAC in batting average (.308) and slugging percentage (.457).
Graduate student Julia Mazanec leads the way at the plate and holds top-10 rankings in the conference in batting average (.383), hits (51) and runs scored (34). Junior Savannah Wing is having a breakout season and is chasing the program's single-season doubles record. Wing has 17 two-baggers, which ranks ninth nationally, while batting .325 with a team-high 32 RBIs. Senior Emily Lippe has launched a team-high nine home runs and is second on the team with 29 RBIs.
Freshman Megan Nuechterlein (17-8) is tied for the conference lead with 17 wins and ranks third in innings pitched (134.1). Sophomore Macy Irelan (7-7) ranks third in the MAC with a 2.56 ERA and fourth with 102 strikeouts.
Scouting the Opposition
Miami (37-7, 18-1 MAC) took down 36-win Eastern Kentucky, 11-3, on Wednesday to bounce back from a loss to Central Michigan on Sunday, which ended a MAC record 23-gme winning streak. The RedHawks are an offensive juggernaut and lead the nation in runs per game (9.45), home runs (133) and slugging percentage (.762).
All-American Karli Spaid is the national leader with 29 home runs. Jenna Golembiewski has hit 25 to rank second and leads the NCAA with 68 RBIs. Kate Kobayashi (18) and Holly Blaska (16) also rank in the top-15 in home runs.
Madilyn Reeves (17-3) is the MAC co-leader in victories and ranks third with 103 strikeouts.
Series History
Kent State is 55-69 all-time against Miami. The Golden Flashes won the season finale a year ago, 10-8, to snap an 11-game losing streak in the series.
On Deck
Kent State will close the regular season with five home games at Devine Diamond next week. The Golden Flashes will host Central Michigan in a doubleheader on Tuesday, April 30 and then battle rival Akron in a three-game series on May 4-5.
Follow the Flashes
Be sure to follow the Golden Flashes on X, Instagram and Facebook for news and updates about the team.
