Lippe Homers Twice During Wednesday Doubleheader

KENT, Ohio – Sophomore Emily Lippe homered twice as the Kent State softball team dropped a doubleheader to Ohio, 7-6 and 7-0, Wednesday at the Diamond at Dix

Both teams totaled 16 hits on the day. The Golden Flashes (14-22, 5-11 MAC) were led by Lippe, who had three hits and drove in three runs. Fifth-year Madyson Cole had a career-high three hits in the opener, while junior Julia Mazanec and freshmen Delaney Robeson and Savannah Wing also recorded multi-hit games.

Game 1: Ohio 7, Kent State 6
The Flashes came out swinging hot bats, plating three runs on four hits in the bottom of the first. Brooklyn Whitt got it started by finding grass in shallow center field for a leadoff single. After advancing to second on a long fly ball that was caught in foul ground, Whitt scored on a single back up the middle by Madyson Cole. Chloe Cruz followed with a home run to make it 3-0.

A dropped third strikeout to the Bobcats’ leadoff batter in the third proved be costly, resulting in four unearned runs. Ohio extended its lead to 5-3 with three consecutive two-out singles in the fourth.

Emily Lippe launched her first home run of the day in the bottom of the fifth, scoring Savannah Wing and tying it up.

The Bobcats answered in the top of the sixth with their own two-run shot.

Lippe homered again to start the bottom of the seventh. After back-to-back outs, Julia Mazanec drew a walk and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch, but the Flashes were unable to bring her home and extend the game.

Cole led Kent State at the plate with a career-high three hits. Mazanec and Lippe had a pair of hits each.

Kylie Ringler (5-3) had five strikeouts and allowed two runs over the final three innings in the circle.

Game 2: Ohio 7, Kent State 0
A solo home run gave the Bobcats a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning.

The Golden Flashes threatened to even the score in the bottom of the second and third but stranded a pair of runners in each frame.

Ohio added single runs on a double and passed ball in the fifth and solo shot in the sixth to go ahead 3-0.

Savannah Wing attempted to start a rally in the bottom of the sixth, sending a liner the opposite way underneath the glove of the Bobcats’ diving shortstop. A fly ball to center was followed by a liner to third base that turned into a double play, ending the threat.

A grand slam, Ohio’s only hit in the top of the seventh, made it 7-0.

Jess Dodd sent a grounder back through the circle with two outs in the bottom of the seventh for her first hit in a Kent State uniform.

Delaney Robeson and Wing both went 2-for-3 at the plate in the nightcap.

Andrea Scali (4-9) tossed six innings, allowing two earned runs and striking out five.

On Deck for the Flashes
Kent State will travel to Toledo this weekend for a three-game series. First pitch for Saturday’s doubleheader is scheduled for 1 p.m.