Kent State University
34-15, 17-5
Ohio University
26-25, 12-10
Comeback Falls Short, But Kent State Still Clinches a MAC Championship
5/18/2017 10:03:00 PM | Baseball
ATHENS, Ohio – Thursday night's game did not fall in the Flashes' favor, although action around the league did as Kent State (34-15, 17-5) clinched at least a share of the 2017 Mid-American Conference regular season title despite losing 7-6 to Ohio (26-25, 12-10).
As the game in Athens was just starting, Central Michigan lost to Ball State to solidify Kent State as the No. 1 seed in next week's MAC Tournament. With either one win at Ohio or another Central Michigan loss, Kent State will be the outright champions.
The Golden Flashes worked back after an early deficit against the Bobcats in the series opener, but fell just short of getting it done.
A barrage of base hits and two homeruns allowed Ohio to take a 6-0 lead after four innings. After that, Kent State started chipping away to make it a close game.
In the fifth, the Flashes scored three when Josh Hollander walked, John Matthews slapped a single up the middle and Luke Burch sent a pitch over the wall in right field to cut the lead in half, 6-3.
Another Kent State run came home in the sixth after Dom Iero doubled and Hollander earned a RBI base hit. Another solo shot for Ohio in the bottom of the frame made it a 7-4 game at that point.
The Golden Flashes got right back at it in the seventh when Mamarella singled and Dylan Rosa followed with a two-run homer to left center. But, it would end with the Flashes in a one-run deficit as the game ended in a double play.
Eli Kraus suffered the loss as he threw the first five innings of the game. Zach Spangler came in relief and pitched well, allowing just one run in 2.2 innings. Patrick Dayton entered the game with a runner on in the bottom of the eighth and picked up a strikeout.
Offensively, both Mamarella and Nick Kanavas had three-hit days. Luke Burch finished 2-for-4 with a double, homerun, three RBI and a walk.
The second game of the series is set for Friday. The game time has been moved up to an 11 a.m. start due to impending weather in the later afternoon.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: SALISBURY (4-3)
L: Kraus, Eli (7-3)
S: ROEHN (13)
Batting:
2B: Burch, Luke 1 ; Iero, Dom 1
HR: Burch, Luke 1 ; Rosa, Dylan 1
RBI: Burch, Luke 3 ; Rosa, Dylan 2 ; Hollander, Josh 1
SH: Mamarella, Mason 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Burch, Luke 1 ; Mamarella, Mason 1 ; Rosa, Dylan 1 ; Iero, Dom 1 ; Hollander, Josh 1 ; Matthews, John 1
SB: Hollander, Josh 2
CS: Burch, Luke 1
Batting:
HR: FINKLER 3
RBI: KLEIN 1 ; GIANNINI 1 ; FINKLER 4
Base Running:
RUNS: BLACK 1 ; KLEIN 1 ; BOURN 1 ; MROSLA 1 ; FINKLER 3
