Grimm’s Monster Day Leads Flashes to Two Wins on Day 2 of Mercer Invite

Saturday, February 11

Macon, Ga.

11:45 a.m.

Kent State University

2-1

Portland State

0-3

Portland State

Kent State

Photo by: Andy Drabic

Grimm’s Monster Day Leads Flashes to Two Wins on Day 2 of Mercer Invite

2/11/2017 4:36:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Game 1 Game 2

MACON, Ga. – Senior Maddy Grimm collected four hits and drove in 10 runs to lead the way for Kent State in a pair of six-inning victories Saturday at the Mercer Invitational. The Golden Flashes won their second straight game by a score of 9-1 over Portland State to start the day and then slugged their way to a 14-5 win over Murray State.

Nine Flashes combined for 17 hits on the day. Grimm's 4-for-6 day at the plate include two three-run homers, a double and a triple with four runs scored. Sophomore Hunter Brancifort also hit a three-run shot to provide the walk-off victory against Murray State. Junior Holly Speers joined Grimm with four hits and also drew a pair of walks. Speers added a home run of her own and scored three times. Junior Emily Dobbin was walked three times in each game and scored five runs.

Senior Ronnie Ladines threw 7.1 innings over the two games and allowed just one run. Ladines held the opposition to just three hits and had three strikeouts. She added a 1-for-2 effort at the plate and scored a run.

"It was nice to see a few people find their swings today," said head coach Eric Oakley. "Our bats were solid throughout the lineup and our pitchers did a nice job with a tight strike zone in game two."

Game 1: Kent State 9, Portland State 1 (6 innings)
Kent State delivered timely hits to win its second straight game by a score of 9-1. The Golden Flashes went 5-for-11 with runners in scoring position and capitalized on six walks, a hit batter, two wild pitches and three errors by Portland State.

After scoring in the opening frame in both of Friday's contests, the Flashes were kept off the scoreboard until the second inning. Bailey Brownfield doubled to left field and moved to third on a single by Ronnie Ladines, who moved to second on the play on some heads-up baserunning. Allie Luther then singled up the middle and a misplay by the centerfielder allowed both baserunners to score.

In the third, Vanessa Scoarste and Emily Dobbin each drew a walk and then moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Maddy Grimm brought Scoarste in to score with a sac fly to make it 3-0.

Kent State added three in the fifth inning, as a walk drawn by Dobbin and a throwing error on a sac bunt attempt by Grimm put both in scoring position. Holly Speers scored both with a single and moved to second on a throw to the plate. After back-to-back outs, an error allowed pinch runner Vanessa Vodan to score.

The Vikings made it a 6-1 game in the top of the sixth on a single, hit batter and another single.

Kent State responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning to end the game. Scoarste led off with a single and Dobbin drew her third walk of the game two batters later. The powerful Grimm followed with her first extra-base hit of the game, a triple that scored both runners. Speers then provided the walk-off winner with a single to center field.

Grimm and Speers both drove in three runs and Dobbin, Grimm and Scoarste each scored twice.

Ronnie Ladines (1-0) threw a complete game for the Flashes to earn her first victory of the season. Ladines had two strikeouts while allowing just one run on three hits and one walk.

Game 2: Kent State 14, Mercer 5 (6 innings)
Kent State used the long ball to beat Murray State, 14-5, for its second sixth-inning walk-off of the day. The Flashes scored 10 runs off four home runs in the game. Maddy Grimm and Holly Speers hit back-to-back blasts in the first inning, while Grimm added her second three-run shot in the fourth and Hunter Brancifort hit a three-run dinger of her own to end the game.

Sydney Anderson singled to start the bottom of the first. After an error allowed Emily Dobbin to reach safely, Grimm crushed a ball over the wall in left field to a 3-0 lead. Not to be outdone, Speers homered to left-center in the next at-bat.

Speers singled to start the third and then used heads-up base running to advance a base on back-to-back pop-ups. An illegal pitch then brought her in to make it a 5-0 game.

Murray State struck for two runs in the top of the fourth on a walk and three singles.

Following walks drawn by Anderson and Dobbin, Grimm hit another three-run shot and Kent State led 8-2. The Flashes then loaded the bases on two walks and a fielder's choice in which no outs were recorded, but the Racers were able to get two pop-ups to escape the jam.

Madi Huck entered in the circle for the Flashes to start the fifth and had control problems. Huck allowed a walk and an RBI single two batters later. After recording the second out of the inning, she walked the next two batters before surrendering a two-run double that cut Kent State's lead to 8-5. Ronnie Ladines relieved Huck and, after issuing a walk to the first batter she faced, got a called third strike to end the threat.

With two outs in the bottom of the inning, Dobbin drew another walk and scored on a double by Grimm, who was thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple.

The first three Flashes reached to load the bases in the bottom of the sixth. Jen Cader brought two runs in with a single and Brancifort followed with a three-run blast down the left field line for the walk-off victory.

Grimm went 3-for-4 and had a career-high seven RBIs in the game. Speers went 2-for-2 with two walks and three runs scored. Dobbin was walked three times and scored each time.

Janel Hayes (2-0) threw four innings in the victory for the Flashes. Hayes allowed two runs and allowed just one walk. Ladines earned her first save of the season, as she threw 1.1 scoreless innings.

On Deck for the Flashes
Kent State and Murray State will meet again Sunday at 1:15 p.m. in the finale of the Mercer Invitational.