Ladines’ Grand Slam Seals Doubleheader Sweep of Penguins

Tuesday, April 25

Youngstown, Ohio

3:00 p.m.

Kent State University

20-24

Youngstown State

23-25

Kent State

Youngstown State

Photo by: David Dermer

Ladines’ Grand Slam Seals Doubleheader Sweep of Penguins

4/25/2017 11:49:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Game 1 Game 2

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Freshman Madi Huck pitched a gem in the first game and senior Ronnie Ladines hit a seventh-inning grand slam in the second game as Kent State swept Youngstown State in a doubleheader at YSU Softball Field on Tuesday afternoon. The Golden Flashes scored twice in the day's first inning and never trailed in the opener before trailing until their final trip to the plate in the nightcap.

"We played almost everybody who was available today and really got a nice team effort to get the sweep," said head coach Eric Oakley. "Our depth was on display with players who haven't been in our lineup often really taking advantage of their opportunities and making their marks. We got great outings in the circle from Janel [Hayes] and Madi [Huck]. Vanessa Vodan, Olivia Sborlini, Emily Dobbin and Allie Luther all had great performances today, and Ronnie came through with the hit of the day."

Kent State (21-24) outhit YSU, 15-12, with five extra-base hits. Junior Allie Luther led the way with a 5-for-7 performance and three RBIs. Freshman Vanessa Vodan batted 2-for-4 with three runs scored and two walks. Junior Emily Dobbin and freshman Olivia Sborlini had three hits each.

Senior Maddy Grimm set a pair of Mid-American Conference records during the opening game. In her first trip to the plate, she drew a free pass on four pitches to pass Bowling Green's Hannah Fulk as the conference career leader in walks. Grimm was walked again in the fifth inning to become the single-season leader. The Akron Racers draftee earned two walks in each game and now has 127 for her career and 45 this season.

Senior Janel Hayes and Huck were both victorious in complete game efforts and combined for eight strikeouts and just one walk.

Game 1: Kent State 7, Youngstown State 1
Behind career games by Madi Huck, Allie Luther, Olivia Sborlini, Kent State took the opening game, 7-1.

The Flashes struck for a pair of runs in the opening frame. Emily Dobbin beat out a well-placed bunt for a single and moved to second on a sac bunt. Following back-to-back walks that loaded the bases, Luther smoked a single through the ride sight to bring in Dobbin and Maddy Grimm.

Vanessa Vodan scored in the following inning after hitting a single, advancing two bases on two errors and coming home on a wild pitch.

Bailey Brownfield added a RBI double to score Grimm in the fifth. Luther followed with a single to bring in pinch runner Kellie Abeska to make it 5-1.

Sborlini roped a triple to bring in two more runs in the seventh.

Kent State had eight hits in the game. Luther was 3-for-3 with three RBIs and Sborlini had the first two hits and RBIs of her collegiate career.

Huck (2-5) earned her first complete game victory. Huck recorded five strikeouts without any walks and allowed one run on five hits.

Game 2: Kent State 5, Youngstown State 4
Kent State trailed the entire game until Ronnie Ladines turned the tables to avenge a loss to the Penguins from last season with a grand slam in the top of the seventh inning for a 5-4 victory.

During the first game of last year's doubleheader between the teams at the Diamond at Dix, Ladines surrendered a two-out grand slam that gave YSU a 7-6 win. Trailing 4-1 in the final inning on Tuesday, a double by Emily Dobbin and walks to Vanessa Vodan and Maddy Grimm set the table for Ladines, who belted a 1-1 pitch over the fence in left field.

Janel Hayes (8-6) then retired the side in the bottom of the seventh to preserve the victory. Hayes had three strikeouts and one walk while allowing two earned runs on seven hits.

A leadoff hit batter, stolen base and a double gave YSU a 1-0 lead in the first inning.

The first two Penguins collected hits in the next two innings but they were unable to add to the lead until the fourth, when an error brought in another run.

Kent State got on the board in the fifth. Vodan worked a full-count walk with two outs in the inning and Dobbin followed with a double to bring her home from first.

YSU scored its final two runs in the sixth for its largest lead of the contest, 4-1.

Dobbin and Allie Luther led the Flashes with two hits each, while Vodan scored two runs.

On Deck for the Flashes
Kent State visits Buffalo for its final MAC road series with a single game Friday at 3 p.m. and a doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m. Select games can be heard on Golden Flashes Radio.