Diamond Classic Becomes Instant Classic as Kent State Takes Down Akron 5-4 in 17 Innings
5/17/2013 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
AKRON, Ohio – In a game that went scoreless for 13 innings, Kent State (32-21, 18-7) was able to make things happen in the 17th inning to beat Akron (15-35, 10-14) 5-4 in the seventh annual Diamond Classic for Kids at Canal Park on Thursday evening.
"It was crazy," head coach Scott Stricklin said. "You have to tip your hat to them, they really competed hard. It was a really good baseball game, it's a shame somebody had to lose."
Derek Toadvine was walked on a full count to lead off the deciding inning. When Sawyer Polen put down a sacrifice bunt to move him over, Toadvine took off and didn't stop until he slid safely into third base. With one out on the board, Evan Campbell hit a sacrifice fly to score Toadvine for the winning run of the game.
The Golden Flashes' pitching staff was lights out in relief, including winning pitcher Eric Dorsch who threw 4.1 innings with just one hit and one walk while striking out six Zips. Dan Kopcak earned the first save of his career by only allowing a single in the bottom of the 17th but retiring Akron on a game-ending double play.
"It's awfully encouraging to see the way that our pitching staff reacted to those situations," Stricklin said. "Those guys came up big time for us."
Taylor Williams went seven innings in the start, having one bad inning in the third when he gave up all four Akron runs. However, he turned back into his normal, dominate self, facing one batter over the minimum through the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh innings. In all, he allowed seven hits, one walk and struck out nine.
The pitching staff was aided by a defense that did not commit one error through the full 17 innings.
"To go 17 innings and not make an error, to not be close to making an error, we were as clean defensively as you can be," said Stricklin.
Kent State took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning after Toadvine walked to leadoff the game, stole second, reached third on a passed ball and then came home on a sacrifice fly by George Roberts. They scored three in the third when Toadvine singled, Polen doubled and Campbell tripled to score two. Campbell then came home on a fielding error.
The win puts Kent State one victory closer to clinching the PNC Wagon Wheel Challenge for the second year. It also keeps the Golden Flashes in second place just a half a game behind Buffalo in the Mid-American Conference Standings.
Game two of the series takes place Friday at 3:00pm at Lee Jackson Field on the Akron campus.
