The Kent State softball team will head to the Sunshine State to try to bounce back from a tough weekend in Louisville.

After a losing weekend, 0-4, in which the team only managed four runs, the Flashes will travel to the USF Under Armour Invitational in Clearwater, Fla.

Despite the offense’s struggles, sophomore outfielder Kim Kirkpatrick remains optimistic.

“I never have a doubt in my teammates or anything like that,” Kirkpatrick said. “I know we’ll get there.”

Sophomore pitcher Emma Johnson had a very impressive weekend showing in Louisville, and she hopes to keep it going into this weekend. Johnson credits her 2.23 ERA to the eight players behind her.

“I credit my teammates,” Johnson said. “They were saving my butt out there [last] weekend, making some nice catches and fielding the ball nicely.”

This weekend begins with two games on Friday. The first will be against Eastern Kentucky, who has started out hot on the season to the tune of a 7-2 record. Then they will face the University of Illinois-Chicago Flames, who are, so far, defeated in their 10 game season.

Saturday, the Flashes have two more games. The first is against Georgia State, who enters Wednesday with an 8-7 record. After that game, the Flashes take on an 8-4 Florida Gulf Coast, which has won the last four of its games.

“It’s going to take some energy and some intensity, and I’m confident that we’re going to bounce back with a bunch of hits and maybe some shutouts and see what happens,” Johnson said.

The weekend concludes with a single game at 9 a.m. Sunday against Quinnipiac, 1-3. As the first four games were canceled for Quinnipiac, the Bobcats enter the USF Invitational having played just four games.

Despite a slow start, the team hasn’t been discouraged.

“I think everybody just needs to get on the same page,” Kirkpatrick said. “Relaxed, ready to play ball and ready to kick some butt.”

After the USF Invitational, the team has one more tournament on the road before making its home debut Mar. 19 against Youngstown State.

Contact By Christian Petrila at [email protected].