Flashes Top Siena Before Falling to Longwood
3/26/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
CONWAY, S.C. - Kent State (9-12) split its opening pair of games Friday at the Coastal Carolina Invitational. In a game that featured 22 hits, the Golden Flashes held on for a 9-6 victory over Siena. KSU was then held to just three hits in a 1-0 setback to Longwood.
Eight of the Flashes' nine runs against Siena came with two outs. A two-out solo home run by Beth Cinadr put the Flashes on the board in the top of the first. The blast to left field was Cinadr's fifth of the season. Starter Markie Pozzuto (1-1) then left two runners on to keep the momentum on KSU's side and the Flashes responded with three runs in the second.
"Beth's faced a lot of good competition in her career," Head Coach Karen Linder said. "And she's been coming through with a lot of clutch hits for us this year."
Sophomore shortstop Mary Holt walked to start the second and went to second base on a wild pitch. Senior Heather Duhon then ripped an RBI single into left. Later in the second, Jess Carmichael poked a two-out, bases loaded single that brought home two more runs.
The Flashes put up additional runs in the third with two outs on the board, getting help from a Siena throwing error. Amy Hair singled to left and Duhon was hit by a pitch to put runners on for Lauren Brocklehurst, whose groundball led to a pair of runs on the error.
Meanwhile, Pozzuto did not allow a hit in the second and third innings, before the Saints scored an unearned run in the fourth and two runs in the fifth.
A two-out single by Leah Archual gave the Flashes their first of two runs in the fifth. Lauren Grimes then reached on an error to score Duhon.
Sophomore Maleeya Coleman took over in the fifth with two outs and stranded a pair of runners. She then kept the Saints scoreless in the sixth.
A two-out walk to Grimes in the seventh led to an important insurance run, when Cinadr doubled down the left field line for her second RBI of the game. Siena began the seventh with four straight singles, including three off Coleman, who was replaced by Kylie Reynolds. Reynolds struck three batters in the seventh, all swinging as the Saints left the tying run at the plate.
"We came out on fire and were one hit away from run-ruling them," Linder said. "Then we let them back in it."
Reynolds then returned to the circle for game two against Longwood, allowing just one run in seven innings. A one-out solo home run by Kami Nuckols in the top of the seventh was the game's only run.
"Kylie pitched well enough to win," Linder said. "We just didn't come through on our offensive opportunities. We left six runners on and we didn't get bunts down when we needed them."
Kent State's best opportunity to score came in second when the Flashes put two on with nobody out. Hair popped out and Ashlee Hein was caught leaning toward second after tagging up. Seeing Hein get caught in a rundown, Carmichael tried to help her teammate and go from second to third, but was thrown out.
Fanning nine batters on the day, Reynolds surpassed 1,000 career strikeouts. Archual totaled three hits on the day.
The Golden Flashes will play a rematch with Longwood Saturday at 12:15 followed by a 2:30 game with St. John's
