Flashes Split Double Header on Hawkins' 12th-Inning Walk-off Walk

Sunday, April 10

Kent, OH

2:00 PM

Kent State University

21-10, 5-3

University of Toledo

7-24-1, 3-5

Toledo

Kent State

Photo by: David Dermer

Flashes Split Double Header on Hawkins' 12th-Inning Walk-off Walk

4/11/2016 12:11:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

KENT, Ohio – In a nearly 12-hour day at the ballpark that started with snow and ice and ended with rain, Kent State (22-10, 6-3) and Toledo (7-25-1, 3-6) split a double header, with the final game going 12 innings.

Despite two great pitching performances from KSU starters Andy Ravel and Eli Kraus, the Flashes dropped game one 4-1 and then rebounded to take game two 2-1 in extra innings.

Game One: Toledo 4, Kent State 1

The Golden Flashes were only able to muster three hits in the opening game that had a delayed start due to snow and ice on the field. Kent State scored first when Conner Simonetti took the first pitch he saw and punched it over the opposite field wall in the 2^nd inning.

The Rockets scored an unearned run in the 3^rd on an error, single and sacrifice fly. Toledo took the lead with a run in the 7^th before a two-run 9^th sealed the victory.

Ravel was served the tough-luck loss despite dropping his ERA in the effort. He allowed just one earned run in 6.1 innings with nine hits, one walk and six strikeouts. Zach Willeman threw the final 2.2 frames with two runs, six hits and three strikeouts.

Simonetti's blast was the only extra-bagger for the Flashes as Luke Burch and Alex Miklos were the only other two Flashes to get a hit in the contest.

Game Two: Kent State 2, Toledo 1 (12 innings)

The second game of the day was a great pitchers' duel with late action to keep fans on the edge of their seats.

Kraus threw 8.1 scoreless innings with just one earned run, five hits, two walks and four strikeouts to keep the Flashes in the close game.

Neither team was able to score until the final inning of regulation. In the 9^th, a walk, sacrifice bunt and single got the Rockets on the board before Tim Faix entered the game and sent it to the bottom of the inning on a fly out and strikeout.

With its back up against the wall, Kent State sent the game to extras when Simonetti singled, Miklos sacrificed him over and Dylan Rosa hit a single down the left field line.

Toledo had runners on the corners in the 10^th, but could not plate a run, and Kent State put two on in the same inning but also could not bring a runner home as the Toledo shortstop made a sensational play to save the game for the time being. The Rockets put a runner on third in the next inning before the Flashes got out of it again. In the bottom of the 11^th, the Flashes had two on again but could not walk-off.

In the 12^th, Chris Martin struck out the first two batters, allowed a walk, then caught the runner stealing to put the bat back in Kent State's hands. Mason Mamarella led off with a bunt single and stole second before Dom Iero sacrificed him over to third. Unwilling to face the power of Zalewski and Simonetti, both were intentionally walked to load the bases with one out. Reilly Hawkins stepped to the plate in his first at-bat of the day and earned the biggest RBI as he was walked on four pitches to send Mamarella home as the winning run.

The Flashes outhit the Rockets 9-5 as Mamarella, Zalewski and Rosa all had a two-hit performance.

Kent State will wrap up its nine-game home stand on Wednesday when they host local foe Youngstown State in a 6 p.m. game at Schoonover Stadium.