Six-Run 11th Gives Flashes Series Win Over Akron
5/13/2007 12:00:00 AM | General
Akron, Ohio - Will Vazquez drove in the go-ahead run in the top of the 11th as Kent State went on to defeat Akron 11-5 Sunday afternoon (May 13) at Lee Jackson Field. The Golden Flashes (26-24, 16-8 MAC) held on to their one-game lead over Miami for first place in the East Division.
MAC East Pitcher of the Week Ryan Davis threw scoreless ninth and 10th innings to earn his fourth win of the year. Classmate Andrew Davis smacked a game-high four hits and joined Jess Bechard as one of two Kent State players with 300 career hits.
The Flashes tried to spoil Senior Day early on for Zips' starter Patrick Gliha, who allowed four runs in the first. Doug Sanders was grazed by a pitch to start the rally. Andrew Davis then sent career hit number 300 through the left side. With two outs on the board, Sanders scored the game's first run on a wild pitch. After a walk to Greg Rohan, Brad Winter lined an RBI double to left field in his first at bat in a week. Jason Patton then tripled to deep right center field to plate two more runs.
The Zips took advantage of two walks and a pass ball in the second inning and scored three times with two outs on the board. The very next inning, Anthony Gallas drilled a ball off the left field wall for the third time in the series and scored on a single by Rohan.
Akron responded with an RBI triple from John Turk in the bottom of the third to cut the lead in half 5-4. Both teams went scoreless over the next four frames.
Doug McNulty tied the game in the eighth with his second solo blast of the series to left center field. Akron put the winning run 90-feet away in the bottom of the ninth but Ryan Davis got Charlie Lenhard to line out to center. Each team went scoreless in the 10th as Davis put the Zips down in order.
Patton smacked a one-out single off the end of his bat into right field to put a runner on for Vazquez in the 11th. Vazquez then lined a ball into the right center field gap for an RBI double. Conor Egan followed with an RBI single into left field to make it a two-run lead.
Andrew Davis broke things wide open while tying Kent State's career hit record with an RBI single to right. His fourth hit of the game put him one behind career leader Jess Bechard. Gallas ripped a double to left scoring Davis and Rohan followed with an RBI double of his own.
Davis was 11 hits shy of Bechard's record entering the weekend. The senior third baseman smacked four hits on Friday, two on Saturday and four on Sunday.
Sophomore Chris Carpenter tossed five innings and allowed three earned runs. J.J. Pacella took over in the sixth and gave up one run on one hit in three innings. Jason Seelman hurled a scoreless 11th and has still not allowed a run in conference play.
Gliha tossed a career-high nine innings for the Zips. He allowed just one run on four hits after the first inning.
Gallas finished 3-for-5 with two doubles and two runs scored. Patton and Rohan each had two hits and two RBI.
The Golden Flashes will play their final road game of the regular season Wednesday (May 16) at Pittsburgh. KSU then closes out conference play at home vs. Buffalo May 17-19.
