Mid-American Conference

AKRON, Ohio -- Kent State scored all of its runs with two outs to take care of Ohio, a 3-1, in the first round of the 2015 Mid-American Conference Softball Championship at Firestone Stadium on Wednesday afternoon. The victory gives the Golden Flashes (40-11) the third 40-win season in school history.

Erika Warren's two-run double in the bottom of the sixth was the difference and capped a 4-for-7 day at the plate for the Flashes with two outs. Behind the plate, Warren threw out a pair of base runners attempting to steal.

Emma Johnson (22-5) continued to frustrate opposing batters and finished with nine strikeouts to only one walk. Johnson held the Bobcats to just two hits.

Back-to-back two-out walks drawn by Erika Warren and Lauren Kesterson helped Kent State get on the board in the bottom of the second. Kim Kirkpatrick hit a ball to the outfield through the hole on the right side of the field to bring pinch runner Emily Dobbin in to score. With runners on the corners, a potential bi running was thwarted when Kirkpatrick was thrown out attempting to steal.

The Flashes threatened to score with two outs again the next inning after back-to-back singles by Holly Speers and Michele Duffy, but Duffy was thrown out attempting to advance to second on the throw to third base.

A hit batter to leadoff the top of the fifth inning cost Johnson a shutout. A sacrifice bunt and infield single moved the runner to third base before coming home to tie the game at 1-1 on another sacrifice bunt.

Story courtesy of Kent State Sports Information