ROCK HILL, S.C. - Two four-run innings helped Kent State
defeat North Carolina A&T 9-5 in softball action at the Winthrop
Invitational at Winthrop Field C on Friday. The Aggies lost earlier in the day to Western
Illinois, 16-5.
Raven Smith went 2-for-2, including a two-run home run. Jax
Woodard had two hits and scored twice for the Aggies (1-10).
The Golden Flashes led 5-4 going into the sixth inning. Two
walks helped the Flashes begin to pull away. A bunt single by Jassacca Gironda
loaded the bases. A wild pitch by Aggies starter Ashira Dobison scored Ariele
Patterson from third. Abbey Ledford followed with a two-run double down the
left field line to give the Flashes an 8-4 lead. After Shelbi Tilton moved
Ledford to third with groundout, Lauren Grimes scored her with an infield
single.
A&T did put two runners on in the top of the seventh.
Woodard scored Detavia Keenan from third with an infield single. But Sabrina
Edmonds' groundout gave the Flashes the win.
Dobison (0-6) took the loss for A&T after striking out
two over six innings pitch. Lauren McNeil (2-4) struck out 10 over 6.1 innings.
But McNeil struggled with the Aggies early. Woodard opened
the second inning with a single. One batter later, Smith blasted her second
home run of the season, a two-run launch over the left field fence. Smith's
home run gave A&T a 2-0 lead.
The Flashes responded in the bottom half of the inning with
the first of their two four-run innings. All four runs came on a grand slam to
center field by Kim Kirkpatrick. The Flashes eventually took a 5-3 lead before
Edmonds moved the Aggies to within one, 5-4, on a home run to center. It was
her second home run on the day, after homering against Western Illinois, and
the 16th of her career.
A&T will continue play in the Winthrop Invitational on
Saturday with a 1 p.m., game against Harvard and a 5 p.m., game against host
Winthrop. Woodard also homered against Western Illinois.
