49ers Use Long Ball to Hand Flashes First Loss of Season

Sunday, February 9

Long Beach, Calif.

1:00 p.m.

Kent State University

4-1

Long Beach State University

3-2

Kent State

Long Beach St.

Shelbi Tilton

Photo by: David Dermer

49ers Use Long Ball to Hand Flashes First Loss of Season

2/9/2014 3:52:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

LONG BEACH, Calif. – Host Long Beach State homered twice during a six-run fifth inning to rally back and hand Kent Stat its first loss of the season, 9-7, on Sunday afternoon at the Mizuno Invitational.

"Our offense and defense looked good today and one big inning cost us," said head coach Karen Linder. "Our pitchers had a tough time getting out of jams and Long Beach came through with timely hits."

The Golden Flashes used the long ball to take a 6-1 lead into the bottom of the fifth, as sophomore Shelbi Tilton and freshman Maddy Grimm each hit their first home run in a Kent State uniform.

For the fourth time in five games, Kent State pushed a run across home plate in the first inning. Sophomore Lauren Kesterson singled with the bases loaded to score junior Dani Ramos and put the Flashes in front. Junior Kim Kirkpatrick made it 2-0 with a two-out double in the second.

Long Beach State (3-2) scored a run in the bottom of the second, but the Flashes got it right back in the top of the third when Tilton blasted a pitch over the left field wall.

An error by the 49ers that allowed Kirkpatrick to reach safely and single by Ramos setup Grimm's three-run homer to give the Flashes a 6-1 lead in the fifth. Long Beach answered in the bottom of the inning, as home runs from Ashley Holmes and Sarah Carrasco fueled a six-run inning to take its first lead of the game.

Long Beach added two more runs in the sixth and Kesterson drove in a run for the Flashes in the seventh for the final score.

Junior Emma Johnson (2-1) was the losing pitcher after allowing five runs in relief duty. Senior Lauren McNeil made her first start of the season and allowed one run in two innings.

The 1-5 spots in the Kent State lineup accounted for seven of its eight hit, as Kirkpatrick, Tilton and Kesterson had two apiece. Kirkpatrick recorded her team-leading third double of the season.

"Overall it was a great weekend," Linder said. "I am very excited about or offense. A lot of kids contributed."

Kent State will take next weekend off and return to action at the FAU Invitational February 21-23, where the Flashes will play five games, including three against nationally-ranked teams.