Kent State Puts Together Complete 11-3 Triumph Over No. 21 Baylor

Friday, February 20

Waco, TX

7:30 PM

Kent State University

2-2

Baylor University

3-2

Kent State

Baylor

Kent State Puts Together Complete 11-3 Triumph Over No. 21 Baylor

2/21/2015 12:31:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

WACO, Texas – Kent State (2-2) put together a complete effort on all sides of the ball Friday night in an 11-3 victory over No. 21 Baylor (3-2).

The Golden Flashes wasted no time getting a lead in the game, as they posted two tallies in the opening frame after Luke Burch singled, Sawyer Polen walked and both came home when Alex Miklos reached on an error.

The top of the order began the action again in the 3^rd when Kent State pushed three runs across. Jacob Neuschaefer and Burch led off with singles. Polen then reached on a bunt single and Neuschaefer scored on an error during the play. Later, Miklos got a base hit to right field to score Burch. The third run of the inning came when Polen crossed home on a Zach Beckner single.

Kent State kept its foot on the gas pedal in the following inning, as Neuschaefer reached on a fielder's choice, advanced on a wild pitch and scored on a Polen full-count, two-out single.

Baylor was able to put up a crooked number in the bottom of the 4^th after a single and two-run homerun. The Bears made it a 6-3 game with a run in the 5^th on a triple and base hit.

Three runs would be as close as Baylor would come to the lead, as Kent State answered back with a run in the 7^th to increase the lead to 7-3. In the inning, Beckner doubled and Tim DalPorto batted him in on a base hit. With two outs in the frame, another Bears' error allowed the third unearned run of the game to come home.

The Golden Flashes put up another three-spot in the 8^th starting with a Kent State's first homerun of the season, a solo blast off the bat of Jeff Revesz. Beckner and DalPorto then singled in the inning before Neuschaefer cleared the bases with a triple.

Nick Jensen-Clagg went five innings in the start and struck out seven with nine hits, three runs and two walks. Dan Kopcak followed with two innings of no-hit baseball, walking two and striking out three. Zach Willeman finished the game by allowing two hits in two innings of relief while striking out five and walking none.

The offense came alive with 17 hits on the night. Beckner led the way with a 4-for-5 performance with a double, RBI and two runs scored. DalPorto was 3-for-5 while Neuschasefer, Burch and Polen all collected two hits each.

The two teams will finish the three-game series with a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 2 p.m. EST.