Kent State University
20-14, 8-5
Ohio University
21-14, 7-6
Flashes Drop Late Lead in 9th-Inning Loss
4/17/2015 10:14:00 PM | Baseball
KENT, Ohio – Kent State (20-14, 8-5) held off Ohio (21-14, 7-6) for most of the night on Friday, until the resilient Bobcats were able to take advantage of Golden Flashes' mistakes to take the series opener 7-5 in the 9th inning.
Ohio started the game by loading the bases on three infield singles before a hit batter gave it a 1-0 lead. Nick Jensen-Clagg then did a fine job on the mound to end the threat with two strikeouts and cruise through the next 5.1 innings untouched.
Kent State run support came in the 3rd when Dylan Rosa doubled and scored on a Zarley Zalewski single. Conner Simonetti singled later in the inning after a Tommy Monnot double to score Zalewski. Monnot then reached home to make it a 3-1 game on a groundout.
The game remained calm until the Bobcats first hinted at a comeback in the 8th. A base hit, fielder's choice and walk loaded the bases to bring Ohio within a run of the lead after a sacrifice fly. With runners still in scoring position, a double play ended that threat.
The Golden Flashes were able to add some insurance in the 8th with a two-run inning. Monnot started things off with a single and Simmoneti walked. Both runners came home during the next at-bat on a Jeff Revesz double.
A three-run lead would not withstand, though, as the game got away from Kent State in the 9th as Ohio scored five runs. They did it on five walks, a double, an error and a pair of wild pitches.
The home team looked to put on a rally in the bottom of the frame as bases were loaded with two outs down by two runs. But that is how the game would end as the Golden Flashes fell 7-5.
Jensen-Clagg put up another great performance for the no decision. He went 6.1 innings with six hits, one run, two walks and five strikeouts. Zach Willeman suffered the loss after 1.1 innings with one hit, two earned runs, four walks and a strikeout.
Monnot had three of the team's ten hits in four at-bats with two runs scored. Zalewski and Luca Fuscardo finished with two hits on the night.
The two teams meet again on Saturday in a 4 p.m. start.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Wells, Corey (2-0)
L: Willeman, Zach (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Longo, Mitch 1 ; Madsen, Jake 1 ; Adryan, John 1
RBI: Gaertner, Cody 2 ; Adryan, John 1 ; Black, Ty 1
SF: Black, Ty 1
Base Running:
RUNS: DeJesus, Manny 2 ; Longo, Mitch 1 ; Madsen, Jake 1 ; Gaertner, Cody 2 ; Wells, Tyler 1
HBP: Gaertner, Cody 1
Batting:
2B: Rosa, Dylan 1 ; Monnot, Tommy 1 ; Revesz, Jeff 1 ; Fuscardo, Luca 1
RBI: Zalewski, Zarley 1 ; Simonetti, Conner 1 ; Revesz, Jeff 3
SH: Beckner, Zach 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Rosa, Dylan 1 ; Zalewski, Zarley 1 ; Monnot, Tommy 2 ; Simonetti, Conner 1
SB: Rosa, Dylan 1
HBP: Monnot, Tommy 1
