Flashes Fight Their Way Back to Win Series at Liberty

Sunday, March 20

Lynchburg, VA

12:00 PM

Kent State University

13-5

Liberty University

13-9

Kent State

LIBERTY

Flashes Fight Their Way Back to Win Series at Liberty

3/20/2016 5:14:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

LYNCHBURG, Va. – Down 4-0, Kent State (13-5) battled its way back to take Sunday's finale at Liberty (13-9) by a score of 6-5, winning the four-game series.

"That was a great weekend for us," sais Head Coach Jeff Duncan. "Liberty has a great program and great players. Everybody contributed this weekend for us. We knew coming in that was what it was going to take. Our bullpen and defense kept us in the game today and gave our offense a chance to win."

The Flames were able to get ahead early with a three-run 1^st on two singles, a sacrifice fly and a homerun. They added one more in the 3^rd on a double and RBI single.

The Golden Flashes broke through for their first run in the 5^th when Brad Hamilton led off with a double and made his way home on a fielder's choice by Mason Mamarella. They tacked on three more to tie the game in the 6^th. The big frame started with a walk by Zarley Zalewski. Conner Simonetti then singled to put runners on the corners before Hamilton came up big again with a RBI base hit. Pete Schuler then followed with another RBI single before Sam Hurt added on one of his own to tie the game at four.

In the bottom of the inning, Liberty scored on a controversial play at the plate. However, Kent State stayed tough to break through and take the game with a two-run 9^th inning. Sam Hurt got on base by being hit by a pitch then Mamarella reached on an error before Zach Beckner advanced both runners on a sacrifice bunt. With Burch at the plate in the next at-bat, a first pitch on an intentional walk was skied past the catcher's glove, allowing Hurt to run home and tie the game once more. Burch then doubled down the left field line to score Mamarella in the game's winning run.

In the bottom of the 9^th, with a runner on second base, Zach Willeman got two strikeouts to end the game and earn his fifth save of the season.

Joey Murray went 3.0 innings in his first career start with four runs, six hits, one walk and three strikeouts. Chris Martin followed with 2.0 innings of work with one hit, one walk and one strikeout. John Schreiber and Tim Faix followed before Zach Spangler threw two scoreless, hitless innings to earn the win.

Both Hamilton and Schuler went 2-for-4 on the day, each also grabbing a RBI.

The Golden Flashes will now play a neutral site game on Tuesday against Evansville in Kokomo, Indiana, before starting conference play next weekend at Central Michigan.