Bats Awaken for Sunday Sweep

Sunday, March 29

Kent, Ohio

4:30 PM

Kent State University

12-11, 3-3

Eastern Michigan University

9-16, 2-4

Eastern Michigan

Kent State

Photo by: David Dermer

3/29/2015 8:38:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Box Score Game One Box Score Game Two

KENT, Ohio – Kent State (12-11, 3-3) had to battle back in both games as twenty runs on 27 hits gave the Golden Flashes a doubleheader sweep of Eastern Michigan (9-16, 2-4) on Sunday.

The Golden Flashes rallied late to take the first game by a score of 8-6 then produced some big innings in the second game to take the series on a 12-4 victory.

In the first game, the Eagles got two runs in the first before the Golden Flashes got one back in the 4^th. In the frame, Jeff Revesz walked, advanced on a Tommy Monnot double then scored on a fielder's choice.

Kent State took the first lead of the day with two runs in the 5^th on a Luca Fuscardo double in his first at-bat of the day, then a walk to Luke Burch and a two-RBI base hit by Zarley Zalewski. The game continued on to go back-and-forth, though as a homerun by the first Eagles batter in the 6^th quickly tied it up. In the bottom of the 6^th, Tim DalPorto smacked his first career homerun after a Conner Simonetti double to put the lead back in the Flashes' hands, 5-3.

But, Eastern Michgian answered with three in the 7^th to get ahead before Kent State closed down the game with a three-run 7^th of its own. It started with a Burch triple and Beckner single. A Monnot double then scored another before Monnot himself came home on a Simonetti base hit.

Josh Pierce allowed just one run in relief to earn his first win of the season. Zach Willeman earned his fourth save with a scoreless 9^th with two strikeouts and no hits. Eric Lauer went five innings to start the game, letting in three earned runs on five hits and three walks while striking out nine. John Birkbeck filled in 1.1 innings with two hits and two runs.

Burch and Monnot both collected three hits in Sunday's first contest. Two of Monnot's were for extra-bases.

Kent State's offense continued on its hot pursuit in the second game of the day despite another early deficit.

The Eagles opened up for three runs in the 2^nd and the Golden Flashes responded for two in the same inning. Zalewski started things off with a walk then Monnot tripled him home. Curtis Olvey then picked up a RBI single.

The home team tied the game in the 5^th when Beckner doubled to score Burch. They took the lead on a big five-run 6^th inning. The frame started with an error. Simonetti then cleared the scoreboard with a towering two-run homerun to put the Flashes up 5-3. Later on, Burch singled with runners on the corners for another RBI. The other two runs of the frame came in on a wild pitch and a sacrifice bunt.

Kent State wasn't done as they added on another four runs in the 8^th inning. DalPorto led off with a single before bases were loaded with two walks. Another walk plated the first run and a double play ball scored another. Zalewski singled up the middle to make it a 10-4 game before Olvey delivered the final blow in the form of a double to right field to make it a final of 12-4.

Andy Ravel improved to 3-1 on the season after going six innings in the start with two earned runs, three hits, one walk and five strikeouts. Tim Faix added in 1.1 innings of relief with one hit, one run, one walk and one strikeout. Zach Spangler finished out the game, throwing 1.2 scoreless, hitless innings with one strikeout.

The Golden Flashes scattered 13 hits with five different players getting two in the game.

Kent State will now host Youngstown State on Tuesday at 3 p.m. before travelling to Penn State on Wednesday for a 6:30 p.m. first pitch.