Ronnie Ladines isn’t like most pitchers. The right-hander is 20-7 this season with a 2.71 earned run average and strikes out over 25 percent of the batters she faces. But what sets her apart from her counterparts in the Mid-American Conference is what she does at the plate.

Unlike most pitchers, Ladines is comfortable with a bat in her hands, as evident by her .325 batting average, the third highest on the team.

And her power was on display against Ohio State, both in the circle and at bat.

In the top of the first, Ladines drove a 3-2 pitch over the left-center wall at Buckeye Field for a grand slam – her second in the past four games – and she threw a complete game, en route to a 6-3 win over Big Ten foe Ohio State in the first game of Wednesday’s doubleheader.

Despite surrendering a solo shot to OSU’s Taylor White in the bottom half of inning, Ladines bounced back by retiring six of the next nine Buckeyes she faced. And Kent State’s defense helped preserve its lead.

The Flashes had momentum and were threatening to score in the fourth with runners on the corners and Arika Roush, the leadoff hitter, schedule to come to bat. However, the game was delayed for over an hour due to rain.

When Roush finally stepped to the plate, she drew a walk, loading the bases for Emily Dobbin, who grounded out to third to end the inning.

In the fifth, Kent State once again had two three runners on base. And this time, it capitalized on the opportunity

After Nicki Cregan battled back from an 0-2 count to draw an RBI walk that scored Maddy Grimm, Erika Warren singled to right to increase the lead to five.

The Golden Flashes had a chance to seal the victory with one out in the bottom the seventh, but a potential double-play ball was ruled foul off of the batter by the home plate umpire. And after shortstop Holly Speers mishandled a throw to third, the Buckeye’s had runners in scoring position, down 6-2.

Maddy McIntyre then hit a double down the right field line to bring OSU with three, but Ladines managed to get the next two batters to ground out, ending game one.

The second game had a different ending, however. Even though the Flashes led, 3-2, heading into the final frame, OSU knotted the score with a single in the seventh and Emily Clark, who fouled off two full count pitches, drew a base on balls that scored the winning run, giving Ohio State the walk-off win.

Kent State finishes the regular season this weekend, hosting rival Akron for a three game series Friday and Saturday, before beginning the MAC Tournament May 11.

Junior Ronnie Ladines isn’t like most pitchers. The right-hander is 20-7 this season with a 2.71 earned run average and strikes out over 25 percent of the batters she faces. But what sets her apart from her counterparts in the Mid-American Conference is what she does at the plate.

Unlike most pitchers, Ladines is comfortable with a bat in her hands, as evident by her .325 batting average, the third highest on the team.

And her power was on display against Ohio State, both in the circle and at bat.

In the top of the first, Ladines drove a 3-2 pitch over the left-center wall at Buckeye Field for a grand slam—her second in the past four games—and she threw a complete game, en route to a 6-3 win over Big Ten foe Ohio State in the first game of Wednesday’s doubleheader.

Despite surrendering a solo shot to OSU’s sophomore Taylor White in the bottom half of the first inning, Ladines bounced back by retiring six of the next nine Buckeyes she faced. And Kent State’s defense helped preserve its lead.

The Flashes had momentum and were threatening to score in the fourth with runners on the corners and senior Arika Roush, the leadoff hitter, schedule to come to bat. However, the game was delayed for over an hour due to rain.

When Roush finally stepped to the plate, she drew a walk, loading the bases for sophomore Emily Dobbin, who grounded out to third to end the inning.

In the fifth, Kent State once again had runners on all the bases. And this time, it capitalized on the opportunity.

After senior Nicki Cregan battled back from an 0-2 count to draw an RBI walk that scored junior Maddy Grimm, senior Erika Warren singled to right to increase the lead to five.

The Golden Flashes had a chance to seal the victory with one out in the bottom of the seventh, but a potential double-play ball was ruled foul off of the batter by the home plate umpire. After shortstop sophomore Holly Speers mishandled a throw to third, the Buckeyes had runners in scoring position, down 6-2.

Redshirt senior Maddy McIntyre then hit a double down the right field line to bring OSU with three, but Ladines managed to get the next two batters to ground out, ending game one.

Kent State finishes the regular season this weekend, hosting rival Akron for a three game series Friday and Saturday, before beginning the MAC Tournament on May 11.

Nick Buzzelli is a sports reporter for The Kent Stater. Contact him at [email protected].