Baseball Hangs On to Win 40th Game of the Season

Thursday, May 19

Kent, OH

6:00 PM

Kent State University

40-12

Western Carolina University

25-27

Western Carolina

Kent State

Photo by: David Dermer

Baseball Hangs On to Win 40th Game of the Season

5/19/2016 10:18:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

KENT, Ohio – It's happened just three times before in the history of Kent State baseball – 40 wins on the season entering postseason play. Thursday night the 2016 Golden Flashes joined the teams of 1983, 1986 and 1992 in accomplishing that feat as they beat Western Carolina 5-4.

Not only is this the fourth Kent State team to reach 40 wins in the regular season, but also it's just the tenth 40-win season ever.

After making history himself last week, Eric Lauer was nearly unhittable once again. The lefty ace allowed just one hit with seven strikeouts and no free bases while going 5.2 innings in the start before being pulled to keep his pitch count down before tournament play begins next week.

Once the game reached the bullpen arms, things got interesting. The Flashes gave Lauer a 1-0 lead by scoring in the 3^rd when Mason Mamarella reached on an error, stole second and scored on a base hit by Zarley Zalewski.

The Catamounts tied the game in the top of the 6^th on a trio of singles but the Flashes grabbed the lead right back in the bottom of the frame. Singles by Josh Hollander, Reilly Hawkins and Luke Burch gave Kent State a 2-1 edge.

Western Carolina answered loudly in a three-run 7^th. A single, hit batter and walk loaded the bases before two more singles dropped the damage. However, Kent State got all three runs back in the bottom of the inning, thanks to some help. Zarley Zalewski started things off when he got hit by a pitch then Dylan Rosa singled to put two one. Conner Simonetti had a big swing with a double to left to score Zalewski. After Pete Schuler was hit to load the bases, an error at second base on a fielder's choice allowed a run to come home and the bases to remain loaded with one out. During the very next at-bat, the same thing happened – an error occurred while attempting to get an out at second on a fielder's choice, letting yet another run to come home and give the Flashes a lead they would not relinquish.

After allowing two runs in the 7^th, Tim Faix was dominant in the final two innings on the mound, striking out three batters, including the last two of the game. Chris Martin filled in the middle innings with one earned run on four hits.

Hawkins had three of the Flashes' ten hits to lead the offense. Simonetti contributed with two, including the only hit for extra-bases on the night.

The two teams meet again on Friday night in a 6 p.m. first pitch.