Bears Blank Flashes In First Game Of Cardinal Classic
3/9/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Kent State baseball team struggled to find offense in its opening game of the Cardinal Classic in Louisville, Ky. on Friday. California limited the Golden Flashes to three hits while totaling six extra-base safeties to come away with an 8-0 victory. The loss marks the third time KSU (3-8) has been shut out this season.
Starting senior right-handed pitcher John Pacella dropped to 1-2 on the season and allowed six earned runs on seven hits. Pacella struck out five Golden Bears during four innings of work.
Three KSU pitchers saw action out of the bullpen, highlighted by senior righty Jason Seelman. Seelman fanned three and surrendered one hit and no runs in two innings on the hill.
Redshirt freshman left fielder Conor Egan, sophomore first baseman Brad Winter and senior catcher Will Vazquez accounted for one hit apiece in the loss.
Tyson Ross, a right-handed sophomore, stymied Kent State's bats for the Golden Bears (8-10), pitching eight innings of three-hit shutout ball and totaling 10 strikeouts. Freshman right-hander Greg Redig tossed the ninth inning and struck out one.
Ross received plenty of help from Cal's offense, which scattered 12 hits. Sophomore first baseman David Cooper went deep down the left field line with a two-run home run to give the Bears the early advantage in top of the first inning.
Cooper burnt Kent State again in the top of the fifth when he knocked another two-run round tripper over the right field fence, capping a four-run inning for California.
The Bears put insurance runs on the scoreboard with RBI triples by senior shortstop Brett Munster in the seventh and sophomore Ryan Hanlon in the eighth.
Cooper, Hanlon, senior third baseman Stephen Carlson and junior second baseman Josh Satin led California at the plate with two hits each.
Kent State will attempt to get back on track in a 11 a.m. contest Saturday against Indiana State in its second game of the Cardinal Classic at Patterson Stadium.
