Kent State University
1-0
Belmont University
0-1
Baseball Blanks Belmont 15-0 in Season-Opener
2/17/2017 8:16:00 PM | Baseball
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Kent State started off the season in a big way, beating Belmont 15-0. Veterans and newcomers alike had impressive nights in the 2017 opener.
Reilly Hawkins sent the second pitch of the season over the left field wall for his first career homerun. The Flashes took advantage of a single by Mason Mamarella and walks issued to Luke Burch and Pete Schuler to load the bases in the 3rd. Dom Iero came up with a two-run base hit to left field to make it a 3-0 game.
Kent State tacked on another in the 4th when Tim DalPorto picked up his second hit of the day and came around to score on another single by Mamarella.
It wasn't until the bottom of the 4th that Belmont was able to get its first hit of the day, a single, as Eli Kraus started the season just as impressive as he was last year. That base runner was quickly erased as DalPorto threw him out as he was trying to steal second to end the inning.
Hawkins had a hot bat again in the 5th as he doubled and scored later in the inning on an error. Burch, who reached on the error, stole second and scored on a RBI base hit by Dylan Rosa making the lead 6-0.
After Kraus cruised through a 1-2-3 6th inning, Brad Hamilton came out with a big bat in the 7th. After Iero started off with a single, Hamilton blasted a shot to center field.
In the bottom of the 7th the Bruins were able to earn their second hit of the day off Kraus as they snuck in a double that landed just fair along the right field line. However, nothing would come of it as a fly out and strike out ended the threat.
Burch got his first hit of the season when he met a new Belmont pitcher with a triple to start off the 8th. He came in to score on a wild pitch, increasing the Kent State lead to 9-0.
Some new Flashes had their first career at-bats in the 9th and impressed. Patrick Ferguson homered in his first collegiate plate appearance. Transfer Nick Kanavas followed that with a pinch-hit single. Kanavas then scored his first Kent State run later in the inning when Rosa singled him in.
With bases loaded and two outs still in the final frame, Iero joined the homerun club in grand slam fashion to put the game at 15-0.
Kraus went 7.0 innings in his 2017 campaign with just two hits and one walk while striking out eight. Robert Zeigler followed to make his Kent State debut. He pitched the final two innings and did not allow a hit while walking one and striking out three.
Iero's six RBI and 4-for-6 performance at the plate led the Flashes on the night. Hawkins added in three hits while Mamarella, Rosa, Hamilton and DalPorto finished with two each.
Kent State and Belmont will square off again on Saturday in a 2 p.m. EST game.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Kraus, Eli (1-0)
L: VAUGHN, T. (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Hawkins, Reilly 1
3B: Burch, Luke 1
HR: Hawkins, Reilly 1 ; Iero, Dom 1 ; Hamilton, Brad 1 ; Ferguson, Patrick 1
RBI: Hawkins, Reilly 1 ; Mamarella, Mason 1 ; Rosa, Dylan 2 ; Iero, Dom 6 ; Hamilton, Brad 2 ; Ferguson, Patrick 1
SH: Hollander, Josh 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hawkins, Reilly 2 ; Mamarella, Mason 2 ; Burch, Luke 3 ; Rosa, Dylan 1 ; Schultz, Zach 1 ; Iero, Dom 2 ; Hamilton, Brad 1 ; Kanavas, Nick 1 ; DalPorto, Tim 1 ; Ferguson, Patrick 1
SB: Burch, Luke 1
HBP: Schuler, Pete 1
Batting:
2B: WARD, A. 1
Base Running:
CS: WARD, A. 1
HBP: WASHINGTON B 1 ; WARD, A. 1
