Season-High Five Doubles Lead Kent State to 7-5 Win Over Toledo
4/2/2013 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
TOLEDO, Ohio – Kent State (11-14) battled late to overcome MAC foe Toledo (10-15) in a non-conference matchup at Scott Park on Tuesday (Apr. 2).
"We are fortunate to get the win," head coach Scott Stricklin said. "It's nice to get the win against a good team like Toledo, but we've got to get better offensively."
The Golden Flashes scored early and late to pick up the 7-5 win, but their bats went cold for four-innings mid-game, giving the lead to Toledo for more than half of the contest. Kent State batters struck out seven times during the hitless span and 11 times throughout the game. They also left 13 men on base.
"We had some very poor at-bats in the middle of the game," Stricklin said, "especially with runners in scoring position. We had some opportunities to score some runs early on and we just didn't do it."
Kent State put the first tallies on the board in the second inning, scoring two runs when T.J. Sutton singled and Tommy Monnot doubled to put two on. Sutton scored the game's first run on a wild pitch and Monnot came home on a RBI double by Justin Wagler. The 2-0 lead did not last too long, as Toledo tied things in the third and then took a 3-2 lead after scoring a run in the seventh.
The Golden Flashes' offense was able to find itself again during a four-run eighth inning. After a base hit and a full-count walk, Sawyer Polen came up the decisive two-RBI double to clear the bases. After Evan Campbell walked, George Roberts smacked a double to left center to pad the Kent State lead with two more runs.
In the ninth, Kent State plated their last run when bases were loaded on a single, walk and intentional walk, and Derek Toadvine hit into a fielder's choice to pick up a RBI.
Toledo threatened in the ninth, scoring two runs and bringing the tying run to the plate, but they could not muster any more damage.
Five of Kent State's nine hits were doubles, a season-high for the team. Those two-base knocks came from five different guys in the lineup.
Roberts finished the day 2-for-3 with two RBI. He also walked twice and had a stolen base. Sutton and Monnot also had a two-hit effort.
On the mound, the weekday win was completed by six different pitchers for Kent State, all throwing no more than two innings each. John Birkbeck was named the starter, throwing two shuout innings with two hits. He faced just one batter over the minimum. Josh Pierce was awarded the win for his two inning, no runs, one hit, one strikeout effort.
"It's good to see Johnny Birkbeck get a good two innings in the start," said Stricklin. "I thought he threw the ball really well. I thought Josh Pierce battled at the end and Brian Clark found a way to get us out of the ninth."
Kent State has a quick turnaround to make adjustments, as they host Penn State tomorrow at 5:00pm at Schoonover Stadium.
"We just have to have more positive at-bats, and if we can do that we can become the great team we want to be," Stricklin said. "Right now we're not there yet, we're a work in progress. Guys are working hard and they understand we have to get better, and that's what we have to do tomorrow against Penn State."
