Flashes Best Rider 8-5 to Take First Home Series

Sunday, March 15

Kent, Ohio

1:00 PM

Kent State University

8-7

Rider University

3-9

Rider

Kent State

Photo by: David Dermer

Flashes Best Rider 8-5 to Take First Home Series

3/15/2015 5:13:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Box Score (pdf)

KENT, Ohio – Kent State (8-7) belted nine extra-base hits while Andy Ravel had a career-high in strikeouts to lead the Flashes to an 8-5 win and series victory over Rider (3-9) Sunday afternoon.

"Our seniors really led the way and the rest of the guys followed," said Head Coach Jeff Duncan. "Sawyer Polen, Jeff Revesz and Tommy Monnot all had key hits for us. We need that from our seniors."

The offense started with doubles from Monnot and Conner Simonetti in the 2^nd to get the Flashes ahead 1-0. It continued in the 4^th with a solo shot by Revesz to double the run total. Kent State then had its biggest inning of the day in the 5^th when Luke Burch and Luca Fuscardo started things off with base hits. Polen then smashed his second triple of the day to drive in two. Zarley Zalewski followed with a sacrifice fly before Revesz showed his muscle again with another homerun, this one on a straight shot over the left field wall to make it a 6-0 game.

Rider broke into the scoring column with a run in the 6^th and went on to score two in the 7^th and one in the 8^th and 9^th. But Kent State wasn't done, as they also scored twice in the 7^th frame. Polen and Zalewski both singled before Revesz walked to load the bases. Dylan Rosa then singled to left for a two-RBI at-bat.

Ravel went six innings in the start with one run, three hits, two walks and eight strikeouts for the win. Dan Kopcak earned the save after a lengthy delay when the umpiring crew had to check the rulebook for a complaint from the opposing dugout. After the wait, he got a ground ball for the second out of the 9^th then ended the game on a strikeout looking.

"His command was better," said Duncan of his starter. "Once he settled in, it got better and better. That's the Andy Ravel we know. We are excited that he got going."

Jared Skolnicki got 1.2 innings of work with three hits, one earned run, no walks and three strikeouts. John Birkbeck and Zach Spangler also got time on the mound in the win.

Polen and Fuscardo were both 3-for-5 on the day as Polen ripped two triples and had two RBI and two runs scored. Fuscardo contributed with a double. Revesz and Monnot both had two hits, both of Revesz's went over the wall while Monnot picked up two doubles. Every starter in the lineup got a hit on the day.

The Golden Flashes will begin Mid-American Conference play next weekend when they travel to Toledo. The three-game series will be played at Mercy Field, the home of Lourdes University. Game times are set for Friday at 2 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m.