Kent State Takes Doubleheader from Falcons

Saturday, April 29

Bowling Green, Ohio

1:00 p.m.

Kent State University

15-29, 10-12

Bowling Green

8-37, 1-24

Kent State

Bowling Green

Photo by: David Dermer

Kent State Takes Doubleheader from Falcons

4/29/2023 8:42:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Kent State softball team defeated host Bowling Green in Saturday doubleheader action by scores of 11-1 and 12-8 to secure its third consecutive Mid-American Conference series victory.

The Golden Flashes (16-29, 11-12 MAC) totaled 29 hits and a .408 team batting average over the two games.

Freshman Bri Despines led the way with four hits, five runs scored, one home run and four RBIs. Junior Emily Lippe also had four hits, including her 12th homer of the season, and three RBIs. Sophomore Delaney Robeson, redshirt senior Alexandria Whitmore and sophomore Savannah Wing added three hits apiece.

Freshman Macy Irelan earned the victory in both games and totaled nine strikeouts while allowing one earned run over 10 innings.

Game 1: Kent State 11, Bowling Green 1
A trio of two-out hits allowed the Golden Flashes to tie it at 1-1 in the top of the second inning. Abbie Wilfing started the rally with a single and pinch runner Sydney Shammo moved to third on a double by Jada Crittendon before scoring on a single by Jade Ramer.

Emily Lippe gave Kent State the lead with a two-run blast in the top of the fourth. Ramer drove Shammo in again with a single near the left field line to make it 4-1.

The first three batters reached in the fifth. Following a fielder's choice in which an out was recorded at the plate, Bri Despines recorded her first RBI of the day on a five-pitch walk. Wilfing followed with a single that cleared the bases with the help of a throwing error, and it was an 8-1 game.

Kent State added three more runs on four hits in the top of the seventh.

Savannah Wing led the offense with a career-high three hits and scored three runs. Lippe, Ramer and Wilfing had two hits and two RBIs each.

Macy Irelan (10-11) fanned five batters in a complete game victory. After allowing five hits in the first two innings, Irelan kept the Falcons hitless until the bottom of the seventh.

Game 2: Kent State 12, Bowling Green 8
Bri Despines followed a leadoff triple by Alexandria Whitmore with a home run for a 2-0 lead. Despines scored again in the top of the third inning on a homer by Delaney Robeson. A single by Emily Lippe followed, and Lippe advanced 60 feet on a groundout and fielding error before crossing the plate on a single by Julia Mazanec, extending the lead to 5-0.

A hit batter, single and walk loaded the bases for Bowling Green in the bottom of the third. The Falcons got on the board with a single and got within 5-4 on a double. A strong relay throw by Mazanec retired the batter attempting to take third and helped the Golden Flashes maintain the lead.

Four consecutive two-out singles plated a pair of runs in the top of the fourth. Lippe and Savannah Wing recorded RBIs in the frame.

The Falcons scored a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the fourth to get within 7-6.

Kent State's first three batters reached again in the top of the fifth before BG was able to turn a double play and appeared to escape without allowing any runs, but a throwing error on a ground ball allowed three to score as Despines raced all 240 feet around the bases to make it 10-6.

The Flashes added two runs in the top of the seventh on a RBI triple by Whitmore and sac fly by Despines.

Two errors allowed the Falcons to score twice in the bottom of the seventh.

Macy Irelan was awarded the victory, striking out four while not allowing any earned runs over the final three innings.

On Deck for the Flashes
Kent State and Bowling Green will conclude the series with a single game at 12 p.m. Sunday.