Kent State’s Kim Hamilton runs to first base during a game earlier this season. The Flashes won both games in their doubleheader at home yesterday against Pittsburgh. Hamilton had two hits, scored two runs and added four RBIs in a 10-3 win in the second g

Credit: Andrew popik

The softball team hit four home runs to tie a single-season record of 29 in its non-conference doubleheader sweep of Pittsburgh (22-26) at home yesterday.

Kent State (23-23) started the afternoon strong, scoring one run in the first inning after senior third baseman Jodi Stevens singled to bring senior left fielder Abby Molnar home.

Continuing to hold Pittsburgh scoreless, the Flashes rallied in the bottom of the third inning. Freshman shortstop Jessica Toocheck homered to post three more runs.

In the bottom of the sixth, junior designated hitter Ashley Fairhurst hit the afternoon’s second home run, making the score 5-2. The Flashes gave up one more run to Pittsburgh in the top of the seventh to win the first game, 5-3.

The second game started with Pittsburgh taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the second. The Flashes answered with sophomore right fielder Sarah Durkalski’s first career home run to tie the score.

The Flashes fell behind in the next two innings by giving Pittsburgh two more runs. But that was all Pittsburgh could produce.

The Flashes came back in the bottom of the fifth. Freshman right fielder Kim Hamilton singled, bringing in two runs and tying the score at three. Freshman catcher Whitney Lebowitz homered as a pinch hitter, scoring three more runs. It capped a five-run inning and put the Flashes ahead, 6-3.

Kent State continued the scoring in the bottom of the sixth with a run off an error by Pittsburgh’s catcher. Hamilton then homered, bringing in two more runs and setting the final score of 10-3.

The Flashes face Cleveland State at Akron’s Firestone Stadium for a single game tomorrow at 7 p.m. They return home for a three-game series with Mid-American Conference opponent Marshall on Saturday and Sunday before heading into the MAC tournament May 11.

Contact softball reporter Kali Price at [email protected].