Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, April 5
Varsity Field
1 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
10-16-1, 1-2
3
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4
Kent State
13-12, 4-1
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Kent State
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8
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Eastern Michigan
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8
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Photo by: Steve King/KingStudios
Golden Flashes Knock Off EMU Twice in Doubleheader
4/5/2013 6:28:00 PM | Softball
Eastern dropped the first game, 4-3, and the second, 11-2
Photo Gallery.
Re-Listen to the Game.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University softball team dropped a pair of Mid-American Conference tilts Friday, April 5, at Varsity Field as Kent State University topped the Eagles, 4-3 and 11-2.
Game One
The Eagles (10-7-1, 1-3 MAC) were leading the Golden Flashes (14-12, 5-1 MAC) 3-0 but Kent put up four runs in the fifth to take a 4-3 lead, which is where the score stayed. Amanda Herron (Columbus, Ohio-St. Francis De Sales) led the Green and White, going 2-for-3 with an RBI. Courtney Loe (Temperance, Mich.-Beford (West Liberty)) had an RBI, while Nellie Coquillard (Niles, Mich.-Niles) ripped her seventh double of the 2013 campaign.
Jenna Ignowski (Niles, Mich.-Niles) got the start for EMU. Ignowski (6-5) allowed four runs on seven hits, while striking out four in 4.2 innings of work. Lindsay Rich (Perrysburg, Ohio-Perrysburg) tossed the final 2.1 innings and surrendered just one hit. Emma Johnson (10-6) surrendered three runs, two earned, on eight hits in her 10th win of the season.
Eastern drew first blood out of the gate against the reigning MAC Pitcher of the Week, Johnson, by plating a run in the first. Katy Blaharski (Carleton, Mich.-Airport) led off the inning with a hard-hit grounder down the left field line. Jenn Lucas (Pinckney, Mich.-Pinckney) moved Blaharski up with a sacrifice bunt Herron ripped a liner up the middle to score Blaharski and give the Eagles a quick 1-0 lead after an inning of play.
The Golden Flashes made an attempt to respond quickly in the second, but fell short. Lauren Grimes led the inning off with a single and moved up to second on a sacrifice bunt from Lauren Balodis. Grimes moved to third on a single by Erika Warren. With runners on the corners and one out, Ignowski perked up, serving up a pair of groundouts to keep the Flashes off the board.
Eastern added a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to take a 3-0 lead. Courtney Nicholson (Navarre, Ohio-Canton Central Catholic) led off with a single through the left side and Coquillard blasted a double over the head of the centerfielder to put runners at second and third with no outs. Loe pushed a grounder through the left side to score Nicholson and a fielding error by the Kent State catcher allowed Coquillard to come around and score, putting EMU up 3-0.
Kent finally got on the board in the fifth, plating four runs. Jessacca Girona pinch hit and led the inning off with a walk and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. With one out and a runner at second, the Golden Flashes scored their first run when Kim
Kirkpatrick singled to left field scoring Girona from second to make it 3-1. Dani Ramos followed up with an infield single putting runners at first and second before Abbey Ledford ripped an RBI single to left field. After getting Shelby Tilton to groundout, Ignowski walked Grimes to load the bases for Balodis. Balodis hit a soft grounder up the middle, scoring a pair and giving Kent a 4-3 lead, where the score remained through the rest of the game.
Game Two
Eastern managed just four hits in the 11-2 loss in the nightcap of the twinbill at Varsity Field. Herron drove in both of the Eagles' runs, while Blaharski, Amanda Stanton (Homer Glen, Ill.-Lockport Township) and Mady Hostetler (New Haven, Ind.-Woodlan) each had a base knock. Stanton's was a double and Hostetler scored a run in the game.
Lauren Wells (Lowell, Ind.-Lowell) made the start for the Eagles, going five innings and allowing four runs, three earned on four hits. Wells (0-8) walked five and struck out three. Rich tossed 0.1 innings and Ignowski threw 1.2 for the Eagles. Lauren McNeil (4-5) tossed a complete game, surrendering four hits and two unearned runs, while walking two and striking out three.
The Golden Flashes took advantage of a dropped fly ball by Lucas in centerfield to take a 1-0 lead in the first. Kirkpatrick reached second on the miscue and later scored on a Tilton RBI single.
EMU threatened in the bottom of the fourth as Coquillard landed on first base thanks to a dropped infield popup. Next up was Stanton, who belted a line drive over the KSU centerfielder and against the fence. Coquillard tried to make it home all the way from first, but the relay to the plate was in time to nab her before she could score. Stanton would end up stranded on second and Kent State kept its 1-0 edge.
Wells rolled through the second, third and fourth innings, but hit a rough patch to begin the fifth. Duffy led off with her second walk of the day and nine-hole hitter Kesterson tapped a weak single to short to put two on with nobody out.
That spelled the end of the day for Wells as Head Coach Karen Baird brought Rich into the contest. After giving up a single to Kirkpatrick, Rich got the first out of the inning on a force play at home. The EMU reliever was not so lucky after that as Kent State got two runs across before Grimes delivered a bases-clearing, three-run double to the gap in left center. Ignowski came on to convert the last two outs of the frame, but the Golden Flashes had already increased their lead to 6-0.
The Eagles got on the board with a pair of runs the bottom of the fifth to make it 6-2. Hostetler started things off with a single down the right field line. With one out, Blaharski reached on an infield error and Hostetler scooted over to third. After Blaharski stole second, Herron came through with a two-out single off the left field fence. That knock scored both baserunners, but Herron was thrown out trying to take second base.
KSU sealed the doubleheader sweep with five more runs in the top of the seventh. Wells re-entered the game and inherited a bases-loaded, no-out jam. The junior right-hander made the first two outs while giving up just one run, but Duffy blasted a drive over the left-center field wall for a grand slam. That put the Golden Flashes ahead, 11-2, and sealed the doubleheader sweep for the visitors.
The Eagles continue the MAC schedule Saturday, April 6, with a single game contest with the University at Buffalo. Eastern will welcome the Bulls for a mid-afternoon contest at 2 p.m.
Re-Listen to the Game.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University softball team dropped a pair of Mid-American Conference tilts Friday, April 5, at Varsity Field as Kent State University topped the Eagles, 4-3 and 11-2.
Game One
The Eagles (10-7-1, 1-3 MAC) were leading the Golden Flashes (14-12, 5-1 MAC) 3-0 but Kent put up four runs in the fifth to take a 4-3 lead, which is where the score stayed. Amanda Herron (Columbus, Ohio-St. Francis De Sales) led the Green and White, going 2-for-3 with an RBI. Courtney Loe (Temperance, Mich.-Beford (West Liberty)) had an RBI, while Nellie Coquillard (Niles, Mich.-Niles) ripped her seventh double of the 2013 campaign.
Jenna Ignowski (Niles, Mich.-Niles) got the start for EMU. Ignowski (6-5) allowed four runs on seven hits, while striking out four in 4.2 innings of work. Lindsay Rich (Perrysburg, Ohio-Perrysburg) tossed the final 2.1 innings and surrendered just one hit. Emma Johnson (10-6) surrendered three runs, two earned, on eight hits in her 10th win of the season.
Eastern drew first blood out of the gate against the reigning MAC Pitcher of the Week, Johnson, by plating a run in the first. Katy Blaharski (Carleton, Mich.-Airport) led off the inning with a hard-hit grounder down the left field line. Jenn Lucas (Pinckney, Mich.-Pinckney) moved Blaharski up with a sacrifice bunt Herron ripped a liner up the middle to score Blaharski and give the Eagles a quick 1-0 lead after an inning of play.
The Golden Flashes made an attempt to respond quickly in the second, but fell short. Lauren Grimes led the inning off with a single and moved up to second on a sacrifice bunt from Lauren Balodis. Grimes moved to third on a single by Erika Warren. With runners on the corners and one out, Ignowski perked up, serving up a pair of groundouts to keep the Flashes off the board.
Eastern added a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to take a 3-0 lead. Courtney Nicholson (Navarre, Ohio-Canton Central Catholic) led off with a single through the left side and Coquillard blasted a double over the head of the centerfielder to put runners at second and third with no outs. Loe pushed a grounder through the left side to score Nicholson and a fielding error by the Kent State catcher allowed Coquillard to come around and score, putting EMU up 3-0.
Kent finally got on the board in the fifth, plating four runs. Jessacca Girona pinch hit and led the inning off with a walk and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. With one out and a runner at second, the Golden Flashes scored their first run when Kim
Kirkpatrick singled to left field scoring Girona from second to make it 3-1. Dani Ramos followed up with an infield single putting runners at first and second before Abbey Ledford ripped an RBI single to left field. After getting Shelby Tilton to groundout, Ignowski walked Grimes to load the bases for Balodis. Balodis hit a soft grounder up the middle, scoring a pair and giving Kent a 4-3 lead, where the score remained through the rest of the game.
Game Two
Eastern managed just four hits in the 11-2 loss in the nightcap of the twinbill at Varsity Field. Herron drove in both of the Eagles' runs, while Blaharski, Amanda Stanton (Homer Glen, Ill.-Lockport Township) and Mady Hostetler (New Haven, Ind.-Woodlan) each had a base knock. Stanton's was a double and Hostetler scored a run in the game.
Lauren Wells (Lowell, Ind.-Lowell) made the start for the Eagles, going five innings and allowing four runs, three earned on four hits. Wells (0-8) walked five and struck out three. Rich tossed 0.1 innings and Ignowski threw 1.2 for the Eagles. Lauren McNeil (4-5) tossed a complete game, surrendering four hits and two unearned runs, while walking two and striking out three.
The Golden Flashes took advantage of a dropped fly ball by Lucas in centerfield to take a 1-0 lead in the first. Kirkpatrick reached second on the miscue and later scored on a Tilton RBI single.
EMU threatened in the bottom of the fourth as Coquillard landed on first base thanks to a dropped infield popup. Next up was Stanton, who belted a line drive over the KSU centerfielder and against the fence. Coquillard tried to make it home all the way from first, but the relay to the plate was in time to nab her before she could score. Stanton would end up stranded on second and Kent State kept its 1-0 edge.
Wells rolled through the second, third and fourth innings, but hit a rough patch to begin the fifth. Duffy led off with her second walk of the day and nine-hole hitter Kesterson tapped a weak single to short to put two on with nobody out.
That spelled the end of the day for Wells as Head Coach Karen Baird brought Rich into the contest. After giving up a single to Kirkpatrick, Rich got the first out of the inning on a force play at home. The EMU reliever was not so lucky after that as Kent State got two runs across before Grimes delivered a bases-clearing, three-run double to the gap in left center. Ignowski came on to convert the last two outs of the frame, but the Golden Flashes had already increased their lead to 6-0.
The Eagles got on the board with a pair of runs the bottom of the fifth to make it 6-2. Hostetler started things off with a single down the right field line. With one out, Blaharski reached on an infield error and Hostetler scooted over to third. After Blaharski stole second, Herron came through with a two-out single off the left field fence. That knock scored both baserunners, but Herron was thrown out trying to take second base.
KSU sealed the doubleheader sweep with five more runs in the top of the seventh. Wells re-entered the game and inherited a bases-loaded, no-out jam. The junior right-hander made the first two outs while giving up just one run, but Duffy blasted a drive over the left-center field wall for a grand slam. That put the Golden Flashes ahead, 11-2, and sealed the doubleheader sweep for the visitors.
The Eagles continue the MAC schedule Saturday, April 6, with a single game contest with the University at Buffalo. Eastern will welcome the Bulls for a mid-afternoon contest at 2 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: JOHNSON, Emma (10-6)
L: Ignowski, Jenna (6-5)
Batting:
RBI: KIRKPATRICK, Kim 1 ; LEDFORD, Abbey 1 ; BALODIS, Lauren 2
SH: BALODIS, Lauren 1
Base Running:
RUNS: KIRKPATRICK, Kim 1 ; RAMOS, Dani 1 ; LEDFORD, Abbey 1 ; GIRONDA, Jessacca 1
Batting:
2B: Coquillard, Nellie 1
RBI: Herron, Amanda 1 ; Loe, Courtney 1
SH: Lucas, Jenn 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Blaharski, Katy 1 ; Nicholson, Courtney 1 ; Coquillard, Nellie 1
SB: Whitbeck, Elaine 1 ; Hostetler, Mady 1
HBP: Hostetler, Mady 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Thank You, Team 38
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EMU Softball Signs Alyssa Feiler
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