ATHENS - Ohio (6-20-1, 2-12-1) dives back into their Mid-American Conference schedule on Friday as they host Kent State (21-11, 9-4) for a single game with a 3:30 p.m. start. Saturday the two teams will battle in a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. Ohio will look to rebound after they dropped both ends of a twinbill to Ohio State on Wednesday at Ohio Softball Field - 6-1 and 9-1.

The Golden Flashes are currently in second place behind Marshall in the East Division of the MAC. KSU toppled Cleveland State in a road doubleheader on Tuesday - 6-3 and 8-1.

Ohio vs. Kent State

Ohio swept the Gold Flashes last year with some seventh inning magic. Both games were close-knit contest and ended in identical 3-2 finals. In the first game, senior Heather Hagen became the Bobcats’ all-time strike out leader by fanning 10. To top it off, Hagen also hit her fifth home run of the year which tied her for Ohio’s single-season record.

Down 2-1 going into the seventh Hagen led-off with a double and her Bobcat teammates responded - doubles by Georgia Villard (Canton) and Sarah Melvin (Loveland) gave Ohio the one-run lead. In the second game, freshman Jenny Tisevich (Canton) hit the game-winninng RBI with a single to right field, to cap off a 3-run rally. Kent State owns the all-time series lead 42-31-1. The Golden Flashes last beat Ohio in the 2001 MAC Tournament.

Scouting the Golden Flashes

Kent State bring in a well-balanced offense. Junior Rachel Testa heads the averages with a .368 mark, while Marci Ridenbaugh has used her speed to score 16 runs and steal 15 bases. Sophomore Jodi Stevens has showed pop in her bat with six home runs, while senior Lea Dorto has brough the most runs home with 23 RBI.

The Golden Flashes pitching is dominated by junior Kate Leary. She has a 1.37 ERA and a 10-5 record in 97.1 innings of work while striking out 99. Leary also thrown 10 complete games. Second in line is sophomore Melissa Rhodes who has combined for six wins and three saves in her 71 innings of work.