Two days ago, the Kent State softball team was 5-1 in the Mid-American Conference, off to the program’s best six game start to league play in three seasons and sitting atop the MAC’s East Division.

But then again, that was 2 hours ago.

Since their victory over Northern Illinois Sunday afternoon, the Flashes (22-11, 5-3) fell to second place in the standings behind Miami University (OH) as a result of two consecutive losses to Ohio University.

The first game of Tuesday’s double-header remained scoreless until the bottom of the fourth, when Ohio scored four runs off of a double and a home run.

However, in the following inning, freshman Bailey Brownfield homered to center field, cutting the deficit to three. But by that time, it was too little, too late.

Kent State junior pitcher Ronnie Ladines, making her second consecutive start, surrendered four earned runs on seven hits in six innings of work, while the Bobcat’s Savannah Jo Dorsey baffled the Kent State lineup, giving up one hit and striking out 10.

And the offensive woes continued in the second game for the Flashes due, in large part, to Dorsey.

Shortly after picking up her 15th win of the 2016 season, she once again took the mound for the Bobcats, walking one and striking out 13 while pitching a complete game.

Even though Ohio jumped out to a 3-0 advantage in the bottom of the second after Cassie Hutchinson lined junior Janel Hayes’ pitch over the center field wall, the Flashes got on the board in the following inning. Courtesy of a homer by sophomore Holly Speers’.

But from that point forward, Dorsey continued to overwhelm Kent State, fanning the next three batters she faced and retiring seven of the next nine until senior Erika Warren smacked a homer in the seventh.

Despite the fact that both teams hit three home runs over the course of the double-header, the Bobcats’ long balls came when they had runners on base. In contrast, each of Kent State’s homers were solo shots, which ultimately proved to be the difference.

Kent State will look to get back on track this weekend in league play when it hosts Eastern Michigan University Friday and Saturday for a three-game series at the Diamond at Dix.

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