On Tuesday, Kent State’s softball team played two games, taking on Mid-American Conference foe Buffalo.
The Flashes (20-18, 6-10 MAC) outscored Western Michigan, 7-3. They were only able to win one of their games.
“Game one, our hitting was contagious,” coach Jessica O’Donnell said. “Game two, we let the gas off the pedal.”
Game one
Buffalo got the first hits of the game in the bottom of the third inning, taking the 1-0 lead.
Kent State had back-to-back hits to tie it in the top of the fifth.
Freshman infielder Kenzie Bromley sent a single and moved to second base with a wild pitch. She then scored on a single from junior utility player Delaney Robeson.
The Flashes got six hits, four of them with two outs on the board, to take the lead and score five runs in the top of the sixth.
Graduate students infielders Alexandria Whitmore and Julia Mazanec were able to get into scoring positions with singles and stolen bases. A wild pitch allowed Whitmore to score and Mazanec to advance to third.
Senior first baseman and catcher Emily Lippe had a single to center field that got Mazanec to score.
Another single from sophomore outfielder Carley Penner and a walk from Bromley loaded the bases.
Robeson recorded two RBIs and a single. Sophomore catcher Bri Despines was able to cap the scoring with a ground-rule double.
Game two
Buffalo led 2-0 after the first inning with an error and two doubles.
The Flashes scored in the top of the fourth when junior utility player Savannah Wing got a single. Freshman infielder Megan Claerhout was able to bring her home with a pinch-hit double.
Buffalo was hitless over three innings due to freshman Megan Nuechterlein.
The low-scoring game remained scoreless since the bottom of the fourth.
Coming up
The team will take on Bowling Green on Kent State’s home turf this weekend at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday and noon Sunday.
“We can’t take any team for granted. We have to play our game instead of to our opponent, and that’s been a difficult lesson to work on, but we are still working hard and trying to find ways to win and stay alive,” O’Donnell said.
Robyn Taylor is a reporter. Contact her at [email protected].