Trip to Pacific Northwest on Tap for KSU Diamondmen
3/5/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Trip to Pacific Northwest on Tap for Kent State Diamondmen
KENT After falling in three of the four games played at the 2008 Coca-Cola Classic, the Kent State Golden Flashes will make their longest trip of the season for a four-game weekend series with the Washington State Cougars.
In game one of a Friday doubleheader, Kyle Smith will get the start. He is coming off a solid performance against Winthrop where he yielded two earned runs in his six and two-thirds innings of work. In the nightcap, freshman Kyle Hallock will get his first collegiate start. Against the nation's second-ranked team, Hallock allowed two late hits in facing one batter over the minimum in five superb shutout relief innings. Brad Stillings will pitch for Kent State Saturday, having pitched at least six innings in each of his two starts in 2008. Chris Carpenter will wrap up the series Sunday for the good guys.
This will mark only the second time these two schools have met on the baseball diamond. The Cougars won the only game ever contested, 7-3 on Mar. 3 2003. The Golden Flashes are 2-5 on the season, with both wins coming against left-handed starters. The Flashes are winless in five tries against right-handed pitchers. In the latest MAC rankings, Kent State is ninth in the league offensively with a .251 team average and the Flashes rank sixth in the MAC in pitching with a team ERA of 4.99. The Golden Flashes are led offensively by Greg Rohan (.400) and true freshman Ben Klafczynski who sports a .333 average.
Kent State is coming off a tough weekend in Rock Hill, S.C. where it lost three of four games two to nationally ranked opponents St. John's (9-4) and North Carolina (8-1). The Flashes responded with a solid 5-3 win over Winthrop before falling 5-0 to the same Eagles in the consolation game Sunday.
FLASHES DROP THREE OF FOUR AT COCA-COLA CLASSIC
It had the feel of an NCAA Regional last weekend at The Winthrop Ballpark with two nationally ranked teams and two who figure to make legitimate runs to post-season. The Flashes fell 9-4 to #24 St. John's and then 8-1 to #2 North Carolina. Kent State matched the two teams in hits, but defensive miscues proved to be the Achilles' heel for KSU all weekend. In the win over Winthrop, Brad Winter's mammoth two-run homer snapped a two-all tie as Kent State won 5-3, but the Eagles rallied for a 5-0 win Sunday.
EARLY SEASON LOSSES NOT UNCOMMON IN KSU TITLE RUNS
Since 2000, struggles in the non-conference part of Kent State's schedule haven't necessarily foreshadowed long-term struggles. In seven of the last eight seasons, the Golden Flashes won a title of some kind. In six of those seven, KSU had a sub-.500 record heading into MAC play.
Year Pre-MAC Rec. MAC Record Year Pre-MAC Rec. MAC Record
2001 3-13 16-11 2004 7-12 14-10
2002 9-10 18-8 2006 7-8 17-5
2003 7-11 20-4 2007 6-12 19-8
FRESHMAN HURLER HALLOCK BEFUDDLES #2 NORTH CAROLINA
In the fifth inning against the nation's second-ranked team, true freshman Kyle Hallock was summoned to relieve starter Chris Carpenter. Against all of the UNC starters, Hallock threw 60 pitches in his five innings of work, and allowed harmless singles in the eighth and ninth. He didn't allow a single run and struck out five Tar Heels without walking a batter. Hallock faced one batter over the minimum and kept UNC at bay over the game's second half. In doing so, he earned his first collegiate start which will come in the second game of Friday's doubleheader at Washington State.
MEDIA
Kent State: None
Washington State: Game-tracker on www.wsucougars.com.
UP NEXT
Kent State will make an extended spring training trip to Louisville and Marshall over the university's spring break Mar. 14-19. Three games against the Cardinals (14-16) and then a pair with the Thundering Herd (18,19) await the Flashes after their return from Pullman.
