Kent State begins heads south on the opening weekend of the 2017 softball season for five games at the Mercer Invitational. The Golden Flashes will take on in-state opponent Dayton at 12:15 p.m. on Friday before taking on host Mercer at 2:30 p.m. Saturday begins with an 11:45 a.m. contest against Portland State. Kent State will play Murray State at 6:30 p.m. with a rematch against the Racers Sunday at 1:15 p.m.
Voted the favorite to win the Mid-American Conference East Division by the league's 12 head coaches, the Flashes will try to win their third straight conference regular season championship, which only one school has accomplished in MAC history.