Kent State University
USF
Kent State to Take on a Trio of Opponents in 2026 Crimson Classic this Weekend
2/26/2026 10:04:00 AM | Softball
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Kent State Softball (8-6) returns to action this Friday for the 2026 Crimson Classic hosted by the University of Alabama. The Golden Flashes are scheduled to play five games between Feb. 27 and March 1 including two vs. the University of South Florida, two against the University of St. Thomas (Minn.), and one against the hosting No. 7 Crimson Tide. Kent State's game against No. 7 Alabama will be live streamed on ESPN+. Live stats for each game will be available and linked on Kent State Softball's schedule page.
Weekend Schedule
Friday, February 27
11:00 a.m.   vs. USF
1:30 p.m.   vs. St. Thomas (Minn.)
Saturday, February 28
11:00 a.m.      at #7 Alabama
6:30 p.m.        vs. St. Thomas (Minn.)   Â
Sunday, March 1
10:30 a.m.      vs. USF
Last Time Out
The Flashes went 3-2 this past weekend at the UNC Greensboro Invitational opening with three straight wins before dropping their final two games. Kent State Started Friday with an 11-3 run rule win over Bucknell. The offense exploded for five runs in the fourth inning to pull away after trailing 3-2, finishing with 11 hits. Leilani Johnson and Ciara Camacho each drove in multiple runs, and Riley Miller earned the win in the circle. Later on Friday, the Flashes survived a 7-6 eight-inning battle against Canisius. After falling behind 4-1, Kent State battled back to tie it and eventually won on a Leilani Johnson RBI double in top of the eighth. Ella Johnson earned the win out of the bullpen after tossing three scoreless innings. Saturday morning brought another thrilling 5-4 win over Bucknell in eight innings. Caleigh Shaulis delivered a walk-off two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth to seal it. Alena Hillyard earned the win in relief. The Flashes were then shut out 7-0 by hosting UNCG. Sunday's rematch with UNCG was tighter but still ended in a 3-2 loss for KSU. Kent State scored twice but couldn't complete the comeback. Shaulis continued to be a key offensive presence all weekend, and the Flashes now sit at 8-6 on the season.
Scouting the Opposition
#7 Alabama
The seventh-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide enter the matchup as one of the hottest teams in the country, posting a 14-0 record through Feb. 24 while outscoring opponents by a 114-12 margin. They sit second in the SEC standings just behind 19-0 Florida. The Tide are hitting a collective .378 with 30 home runs and a .713 slugging percentage in 14 games. Alexis Pupillo (.425, 6 HR, 20 RBI) and Marlie Giles (.500, .813 SLG) headline the lineup. Alabama has drawn 49 walks against just 42 strikeouts and owns a .467 on-base percentage as a team. In the circle, the staff owns a collective 0.81 ERA, with ace Vic Moten leading the way at 7-0 with a 0.42 ERA over 33.2 innings, racking up 41 strikeouts while walking just 11. They have held opponents to a .144 batting average overall.
USF
The University of South Florida Bulls carry a 15-5 record into the weekend and are first in the American. They have played all 20 of their games at home in Tampa. USF is a balanced offensive team hitting .295 as a squad with 11 home runs and solid plate discipline, drawing 48 walks against 76 strikeouts and posting a .373 team on-base percentage. Alex Wilkes leads the Bulls at the plate (.352, 6 HR, 24 RBI), and Toryn Fulton (.395, 4 HR, 16 RBI) has also been a solid run producer in the lineup. The pitching staff has been solid posting a 2.43 ERA across six pitchers who have combined to allow opponents to hit just .244. Anne Long (4-2, 0.91 ERA) and McKenna Schroding (4-0, 1.50 ERA) are their top two starters.
St. Thomas (Minn.)
The University of St. Thomas has put together a great 11-4 start. They enter the weekend third in the Summit League. Like Kent State, they have played their entire schedule away from home so far going south to multi-team events. The Tommies rank among one of the more explosive offensive teams the Flashes will face this season, batting .342 as a team with 27 home runs and a .631 slugging percentage across 15 games. Avery Wukawitz (.457, 6 HR, 10 RBI) leads the charge with a team-best .978 slugging percentage and six stolen bases, while Abbi Stierlen (.409, 6 HR, 15 RBI) and Ella Cook (.378, 4 HR, 17 RBI) give St. Thomas middle-of-the-order threats. In the circle Cook pulls double duty as one of the staff's top arms (0.89 ERA, 4-1), and Ava Kleinfeldt (2.92 ERA, 4-2) has shouldered the most innings (36.0). The Tommies have held opponents to a .233 average and limited them to just four home runs.
On Deck for the Flashes
Kent State's weekend in Alabama will be their final multi-team event of their non-conference schedule. Up next will be their home and conference opening series at Devine Diamond against the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The series begins with a doubleheader on Friday, March 13 scheduled for 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. the final game will be on Saturday, March 14 at 12:00 p.m.
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Follow Kent State Athletics
For complete coverage of Kent State Athletics, download the official Kent State Golden Flashes app (iOS, Android) and follow the Golden Flashes on social media on X, Instagram , and Facebook for news and updates.
