Centennial Memory #36

2/19/2010 12:00:00 AM | General

Kent State Knocks Ohio State Out of 2001 NCAA Regional

At the NCAA Baseball Columbus Regional, fourth-seeded Kent State eliminated No. 2 Ohio State (43-18) with a 9-8 win in game three of the tournament. Eric O'Brien hit the game-winning home run off the scoreboard to lead off the bottom of the ninth inning. Chris White recorded the win for the Flashes.

Kent State had posted four runs by the bottom of the third, and Ohio State first scored in the top of the fourth. In the sixth inning, the Buckeyes cut the Flashes' lead to 8-7 after sending 10 batters to the plate, and Ohio State tied the game at the top of the seventh.

Kent State then proceeded to knock off Delaware, 11-10, in dramatic fashion in the ninth inning to advance to the regional championship game. Unfortunately, the Flashes came up short against top-seeded and 19th-ranked Mississippi State in their bid to become the first Mid-American Conference team to reach a Super Regional.