Golden Flashes Walk-Off Western Michigan in Nine-Inning Thriller to Close 2026 Season

Sunday, May 3

Kent, Ohio

12:00 PM

Kent State University

20-30, 8-19

Western Michigan

26-24, 15-12

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Western Mich.	3	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	8	16	0
Kent St.	0	0	2	0	0	1	3	0	3	9	13	0

Five Kent State softball players celebrate together on the infield dirt, exchanging high-fives after a play. The players are wearing gold Kent State jerseys with white pinstripe pants and navy socks. Visible jersey numbers include 24 and 6. A fielding glove is visible on one player's hand. A sunny, tree-lined outfield fence is visible in the background with an opposing player in light blue visible in the distance. The Ohio Flash, Kent State Golden Flashes, and Under Armour logos appear in the bottom right corner.

Photo by: Will Ridenhour

Golden Flashes Walk-Off Western Michigan in Nine-Inning Thriller to Close 2026 Season

5/3/2026 4:54:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

KENT -- Kent State Softball closed out the 2026 season in memorable fashion on Sunday afternoon at Devine Diamond. The Golden Flashes rallied from a six-run deficit to stun Western Michigan 9-8 on a Gabby Quinn three-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning.

The Golden Flashes trailed 6-0 heading into the third inning after Western Michigan homered three times in the first two frames. Kent State began chipping away in the bottom of the third when Alex Trevena singled and stole second, Miley Anderson singled and stole second herself, and Ashlyn Porter delivered a two-run single to left field to pull the Flashes within 6-2.

Kent State added a third run in the sixth when Caleigh Shaulis tripled to center field and scored on a Megan Claerhout RBI single to make it 6-3 heading to the seventh.

The Blue Gold mounted their biggest rally of the game in the bottom of the seventh with their backs against the wall. Trevena walked and Anderson singled before Porter advanced the runners.

Brynn Libler then in her second to last career at-bat delivered a two-run single to right field to score both Trevena and Anderson. Claerhout followed with an RBI single to center to score Libler and tie the game 6-6 and cap off the game changing three-run frame

Western Michigan retook the lead with two runs in the top of the ninth with an RBI double and single to make it 8-6.

The Golden Flashes responded as Porter singled to lead off the ninth and Claerhout followed with another single to put two on. Quinn then launched a three-run home run to center field to walk off the Broncos and send the Golden Flashes out with a victory.

Quinn was the hero of the afternoon, finishing 2-for-5 with a home run and three RBIs. Claerhout racked up hree hits and two RBIs, while Porter contributed two hits and two RBIs. Libler's two-run single in the seventh was the catalyst for the comeback. Shaulis added a triple and a run scored. Trevena reached base multiple times and scored twice. Anderson contributed two hits and a stolen base. Riley Miller went the full nine innings in the circle to earn the complete game victory, her 11th win of the season.

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Gabby Quinn sends them home happy with a ?? and our seniors Brynn Libler and Kasey Markusic out with a ?? ring!???#KentTOUGH | #GoFlashes?? pic.twitter.com/rw7SV3d1UR
— Kent State Softball (@KentStSoftball) May 3, 2026