Kent State Eliminated from NCAA Waco Regional by James Madison
Game One | Box Score
WACO, Texas – Kent State scored twice in the top of the fifth inning to defeat Oregon State, 2-1, in an elimination game Saturday afternoon at the NCAA Waco Regional.
The Golden Flashes (33-27) collected three of their six hits in the contest in the fifth frame to get on the board for the first time in NCAA postseason play. Freshman Vanessa Vodan started the frame with an infield single. Junior Vanessa Scoarste followed with a walk and junior Emily Dobbin dropped in a single to right-center that was misplayed and allowed Vodan from second base.
Sophomore Hunter Brancifort then put the Flashes ahead with a single to center field.
"We finally made an adjustment at the plate and got a little more aggressive on pitches earlier in the count," said head coach Eric Oakley. "Once we got a few hits, we were more relaxed at the plate, and that is the approach we need to have going into this next game."
Senior Ronnie Ladines (20-15) earned the victory in the circle for the Flashes, striking out six and allowing just one run to the Beavers. Ladines surrendered six hits in the contest but worked out of trouble multiple times to strand seven runners.
Kent State will play James Madison in an elimination game Saturday at 7 p.m. ET. The Flashes are now 4-0 in elimination games this season.
Game Two | Box Score
WACO, Texas – Kent State lost to James Madison, 2-0, in an elimination game Saturday evening at the NCAA Waco Regional.
The Golden Flashes (33-28) were led offensively by sophomore Jen Cader and freshman Vanessa Vodan, who each collected a single in the contest. Vodan went 2-for-2 and reached base in all three of her plate appearances as a pinch hitter for the weekend.
James Madison scored an unearned run in the top of the fourth inning on a kind single to third base, single to left field and an obstruction call on a play in which the Flashes retired a runner at the plate after dropping the throw to first base.
The Dukes added a run in the fifth and used back-to-back doubles to take advantage of an error and score twice in the sixth.
Senior Janel Hayes (9-8) allowed one earned run over five innings in the circle for the Flashes. Senior Ronnie Ladines tossed two relief innings and had three strikeouts while allowing one earned run.
