Kent State No-Hits Spartans

March 7, 2015

Orlando, Florida -- Kent state senior pitcher Emma Johnson no-hit Michigan State, striking out nine, in a 9-0 victory for the Flashes in nine innings on Saturday morning in Orlando, Fla. A combination of quiet Spartan bats and three errors sent MSU to an early termination in this one, as MSU fell to 10-9 overall. It was the first time that MSU had lost this season in a game shortened by an eight-run defecit.

Zalewski hit the leadoff batter in the bottom of the first, and Dani Ramos followed with a comebacker up the middle that moved Kirkpatrick to second. She got Maddy Grimm on a strikeout, and Shelbi Tilton hit a ball to second, which was bobbled to score Kirkpatrick and move Ramos to third. Michele Duffy hit an infield single to plate a second run for the Flashes. Holly Speers followed with a second straight infield single to load the bases, but Zalewski got Erika Warren to strike out and Lauren Kesterson to ground out to work out of the bases-loaded, one-out jam.

The Flashes plated a third run in the second inning, capitalizing on back-to-back one-out singles, as well as a Spartan error. Kirkpatrick scored from third after an impressive catch by Foerster in center, coming home on the throw.

Bridgette Rainey relieved Zalewski in the bottom of the third but fared not much better, as the Flashes pushed five across in the bottom of the third inning, as Kent State continued to capitalize on Spartan miscues and errors. Meanwhile, Kent State pitcher Emma Johnson just methodically mowed her way through the Spartan lineup, striking out eight through four innings - including striking out the side in both the first and third frames.

Rainey got a pair of strikeouts in the bottom of the fourth, but Kent State got one more across to take a 9-0 lead. The Spartans entered the top of the fifth desperate to get something going, denied a hit over the first four and in danger of a premature end to the contest. Johnson hit Gutknecht to lead off the inning, got pinch hitter Lindsey Besson to pop out to the infield, and struck out McBride, ending the senior's 11-game hitting streak. Right fielder Duffy made an impressive catch to rob Lea Foerster of a base hit, ending the game as a 9-0 final in five innings.

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Team Stats

Lea Foerster

McKinzie Freimuth

Shanin Thomas

Stephanie Sanders

Players Mentioned

Lindsey Besson

Lea Foerster

Bridgette Rainey