Kent State University
7-6
Rider University
2-8
Jensen-Clagg's Gem and Offensive Onslaught Give Flashes 13-5 Home-Opening Win
3/13/2015 5:45:00 PM | Baseball
KENT, Ohio – The Kent State (7-6) offense produced 13 runs on 16 hits while starting pitcher Nick Jensen-Clagg did not allow an earned run in Friday afternoon's 13-5 home-opening victory over Rider (2-8).
The Golden Flashes got production from all spots in the order as the team had five doubles, two triples and two homeruns in the contest. They scored a run in all but two innings of the game.
It all started with two runs in both the 1st and 2nd frames. Luke Burch led off with a walk and came home on a double by Luca Fuscardo. Sawyer Polen then hit a sacrifice fly to earn a RBI. In the next inning, Curtis Olvey was hit by a pitch and Jeff Revesz singled before Burch singled to score one. Fuscardo then earned another RBI on a base hit to score Revesz.
A tally was added in the 3rd on a Polen triple and Zarley Zalewski double, and another in the 4th when Burch laid down a bunt single and Dylan Rosa came home on a throwing error after getting on base with a double.
After Rider broke through with a run in the 7th, Kent State continued its offensive onslaught in the final two innings. Three runs scored after the stretch on a Conner Simonetti triple and a wild pitch. Olvey was then hit by another pitch before both Tim DalPorto and Burch doubled to score one each.
The Golden Flashes made the biggest noise in the bottom of the 8th on a pair of two-run homeruns, first by Simonetti, then by Rosa, the first of the latter's career.
The Broncs plated two in the 8th and then two again in the 9th, but the deficit was too deep to overcome.
Jensen-Clagg threw seven innings and allowed just three hits and two walks while striking out seven to improve to 4-1 on the year. Tim Faix and Eli Martin each allowed two runs in an inning of work to close out the game.
Burch led the way from the leadoff spot as he went 3-for-4 with two walks and two RBI to continue to provide a spark for the offense. Fuscardo, Zalewski, Simonetti, Revesz, DalPorto and Rosa all picked up two hits on the day.
First pitch for the second game of the series on Saturday has been moved back to 2 p.m. Admission to the contest and to the finale on Sunday is free.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Jensen-Clagg, Nick (4-1)
L: Mawson (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Richter 1 ; Lipinski 1 ; Bender 1
RBI: Richter 1 ; Lipinski 1 ; Fazio 1 ; P.Murphy 1 ; Bender 1
SF: P.Murphy 1
Base Running:
RUNS: J.Thomas 1 ; Lipinski 1 ; Kaiser 1 ; Parsons 1 ; Bender 1
SB: Locklear 1
HBP: J.Thomas 1 ; Parsons 1
Batting:
2B: Burch, Luke 1 ; Fuscardo, Luca 1 ; Zalewski, Zarley 1 ; DalPorto, Tim 1 ; Rosa, Dylan 1
3B: Polen, Sawyer 1 ; Simonetti, Conner 1
HR: Simonetti, Conner 1 ; Rosa, Dylan 1
RBI: Burch, Luke 2 ; Fuscardo, Luca 2 ; Polen, Sawyer 1 ; Zalewski, Zarley 1 ; Simonetti, Conner 2 ; DalPorto, Tim 1 ; Rosa, Dylan 2
SF: Polen, Sawyer 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Burch, Luke 1 ; Fuscardo, Luca 1 ; Polen, Sawyer 1 ; Zalewski, Zarley 1 ; Simonetti, Conner 2 ; Olvey, Curtis 2 ; Revesz, Jeff 1 ; DalPorto, Tim 2 ; Rosa, Dylan 2
SB: Burch, Luke 1 ; Polen, Sawyer 1
CS: Burch, Luke 1
HBP: Polen, Sawyer 2 ; Zalewski, Zarley 1 ; Olvey, Curtis 2
