Flashes Battle to Take First MAC Series of the Season

Saturday, March 26

Mount Pleasant, MI

4:05 PM

Kent State University

15-6, 1-1

Central Michigan University

5-18, 1-1

Kent State

Central Michigan

Flashes Battle to Take First MAC Series of the Season

3/27/2016 5:03:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Kent State (16-6, 2-1) battled its way through a wacky weekend to take the first Mid-American Conference series of the year at Central Michigan (5-19, 1-2).

On Saturday, the team worked its way back from a sizeable deficit to be within three runs in the 9^th inning before the game was suspended due to darkness. It took three pitches to end the game on Sunday as the Flashes lost 13-10. In Sunday's regularly scheduled contest, Kent State won 5-2 to take the series victory.

"It was good to get the first MAC series out of the way on the road against a very good opponent," said Head Coach Jeff Duncan. "I wish we would have played a little bit better in game two but it was good to play the way we did today and respond, especially on the mound and defensively. That was a huge game for us. We able to put some pressure on them and get the 'W' and win the series."

GAME TWO: Central Michigan 13, Kent State 10

24 free bases were given away on Saturday, as Central Michigan was able to answer every time Kent State put runs on the board to force a rubber match.

Scoring started in the 2^nd with a Dylan Rosa homerun. The Golden Flashes also added one on in the 3^rd on a Mason Mamarella walk and Zarley Zalewski single and another run in the 4^th when Sam Hurt doubled and scored on a Zach Beckner base hit.

Unfortunately, the Chippewas scored two in the 2^nd, six in the 3^rd and three in the 4^th to lead 11-3 through the first four frames. Nearly all their runs came via walks and base hits.

Kent State fought back, bringing two runs in in the 6^th and three more in the 7^th. In the 6^th, Hurt, Mamarella and Beckner all walked to load the bases. Rosa then singled two runs in. In the 7^th, Alex Miklos and Hurt were issued walks before Mamarella singled to load the bases once again. Beckner then earned an easy RBI on another base on balls before Zalewski singled in two more runs.

It was a 13-8 game through seven as Central Michigan was able to reply again with single tallies in both the 6^th and 7^th.

In the final frame, Mamarella and Burch both singled before Zalewski was able to reach on an error to allow both runners to cross home. Right after the play, the umpires convened with the head coaches and decided to suspend the game due to darkness. With two outs and a runner on first when the game resumed on Sunday, Rosa grounded out to make it a 13-10 victory for the Chippewas.

Andy Ravel suffered the loss as he lasted just 2.1 innings with five earned runs, six hits, three walks and four strikeouts. John Schreiber followed in relief, filling in 3.1 innings with three earned runs, two hits, five walks and three strikeouts. Eli Martin finished the final 2.1 innings, throwing well with two hits, one unearned run, two walks and one strikeout.

At the plate, Mamarella went 2-for-2 with three walks and four runs scored out of the nine hole. Beckner, Zalewski and Rosa all had two hits and the bulk of the Flashes' RBI; Zalewski led with five runs batted in.

GAME THREE: Kent State 5, Central Michigan 2

Kent State bounced right back to take the finale just thirty minutes after the suspended game ended, led by strong pitching performances by Eli Kraus and Zach Willeman.

The Golden Flashes took an early lead with a run in the 1^st when Luke Burch started the game with a walk, stole second and eventually made his way home on a groundout by Zalewski.

They tacked on another in the 5^th when Hurt reached on an error, advanced on a passed ball, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Mamarella, then scored on a sacrifice fly by Burch.

The Chippewas got on the board with one in the 5^th then were able to tie the game in the 6^th on a double and two groundouts. But, the Golden Flashes would come through with three runs in the 7^th to put the game away. In the frame, Pete Schuler walked and Hurt reached on another error before a Burch base hit gave him two more RBI. Burch then scored later in the inning after he advanced on an error, stole third and came home when Beckner executed a sacrifice bunt.

Kraus improved to 4-1 on the season after throwing 7.0 innings with one earned run, four hits, one walk and three strikeouts. Willeman earned his seventh save of the season on his birthday as he threw the final two frames with one hit, two walks and one strikeout.

Kent State will return home on Tuesday to host Lake Erie in a 6 p.m. game and will then travel for a 3 p.m. game at Pittsburgh on Wednesday. MAC play will pick up again on the weekend when Western Michigan comes to Kent with the series beginning Friday at 6 p.m.