Walk-Off Hit by Pitch Hands Flashes 4-3 Win Over Huskies

Friday, May 2

Kent, Ohio

6:00 PM

Kent State University

29-16, 13-6

Northern Illinois University

14-31, 8-11

Northern Illinois

Kent State

Photo by: David Dermer

Walk-Off Hit by Pitch Hands Flashes 4-3 Win Over Huskies

5/2/2014 9:33:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

KENT, Ohio – With bases loaded in the bottom of the 9^th, Alex Mikos was given a game-winning RBI when he was hit by a pitch in a 1-2 count to plate the winning run Friday night (May 2).

"I'm really proud of this team and the way we battled today," Head Coach Jeff Duncan said, "especially they way we responded in the 7^th, 8^th and 9^th innings."

The win came at a crucial time for Kent State, as it moves to 13-6 in the conference and is now in sole possession of second place after Central Michigan lost earlier in the day. The Golden Flashes also gained a game as Ball State also lost; the Cardinals now have just a 1.5 game lead.

Kent State is now 29-16 on the season while Northern Illinois drops to 14-31 overall and 8-11 in conference play.

"We've had a little bit of adversity losing three games in a row, but we have to have some character to get out of this," Duncan said he told his team before the game. "And we did. We had to find a way to win, and we did that."

The game was messy both ways and looked to go the Huskies' way as they led 2-0 after runs in the 2^nd and 3^rd frame. But the Golden Flashes broke through the tough opposing starter with a run in the 5^th on a Jeff Revesz double and Curtis Olvey sacrifice fly.

Northern Illinois took a slight 3-1 advantage in the 7^th before Kent State took control in the bottom of the inning to tie things. Justin Wagler led off the frame with a single before T.J. Sutton was hit by a pitch to put two on. Sawyer Polen then came off the bench to rope a pinch-hit single up the middle to earn a RBI. Jon Wilson followed with a sacrifice fly to knot things at three runs apiece.

Things remained that way until a throwing error and two walks loaded the bases for Miklos to be plunked enabling the Flashes to walk off.

Eric Lauer was back on his game, going six innings in the start with four hits, two runs, two walks and seven strikeouts. Dan Kopcak got the win after three innings without an earned run, two hits and one strikeout.

"I thought Eric Lauer set the tone for us," Duncan said. "He had a good, quality start. He was in the strike zone all day and they had to earn everything."

Revesz got two of the team's eight hits while the other six were scattered throughout the top of the order.

Kent State and Northern Illinois face off again on Saturday at 6:00pm. Every pitch will be aired live on Golden Flashes iHeart Radio.