Two Big Innings Give Kent State 12-6 Victory Over Youngstown State

Tuesday, March 31

Kent, Ohio

3:00 PM

Kent State University

13-11

Youngstown State University

5-16

Youngstown State

Kent State

Photo by: David Dermer

Two Big Innings Give Kent State 12-6 Victory Over Youngstown State

3/31/2015 7:04:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Box Score (pdf)

KENT, Ohio – Two five-run innings gave Kent State (13-11) a 12-6 victory over Youngstown State (5-16) on Tuesday in a game that contained 21 hits and six errors.

For the third-straight game, the Golden Flashes had to work their way back from an early deficit. After the Penguins put up a three-spot to open the contest, Kent State posted two runs in the 2^nd. The frame started with a single from Curtis Olvey and a walk by Conner Simonetti. Brad Hamilton then picked up his first collegiate hit and RBI before a fielder's choice scored another.

Youngstown State doubled its run total to take a 6-2 lead with a three-run 4^th inning. All three runs came in unearned with two errors by the Kent State defense.

The Golden Flashes' first big inning came later on in the 5^th as they scored five to take a 7-6 lead. Luke Burch walked to begin the inning before Zach Beckner singled to put two on. A fielder's choice and two throwing errors allowed both runs to come home and Zarley Zalewski to advance all the way to third base. After Tommy Monnot was hit by a pitch, Conner Simonetti singled in a run before another error scored Monnot and put Simonetti on third. He then came home on another Hamilton base hit.

The second five-run frame came in the 8^th as the Penguins did most of the damage to themselves. With one out, Burch walked, stole a base, Beckner walked and Burch stole another base to put runners on the corners. Sawyer Polen then placed a perfect sacrifice bunt to get Burch home. Three more walks kept runners circling the bases. The final two Golden Flashes' tallies came on behalf of Hamilton as he again singled to send his teammates home.

Chris Martin earned his first collegiate win by throwing three innings with two hits and one strikeout. Fellow freshman Eli Kraus went three innings in the start with seven hits, two earned runs, one walk and five strikeouts. Aaron Tadian threw 1.2 innings with two hits and two strikeouts. Zach Willeman picked up his fifth save of the year in 1.1 innings of work with one walk and two strikeouts.

Offensively, Hamilton had the biggest day with three hits in five at-bats and four RBI. Beckner and Simonetti both contributed with two hits each.

The team will travel to Penn State for a 6:30 p.m. game on Wednesday before remaining on the road to pick up Mid-American Conference play at Northern Illinois this weekend.