Kent State University
Sam Houston State
Kraus, Flashes Ready for 2018 Opener
2/15/2018 11:00:00 AM | Baseball
MAC-Favored Flashes begin season with three at Sam Houston State
Kraus, Flashes Ready for 2018 Opener
Favored Flashes begin season with three at Sam Houston State
Kent State's baseball team – the pick of many to once again rule the Mid-American Conference – will embark on the 2018 season with a trip to Texas to face reigning regional champion Sam Houston State this Friday-Sunday at Don Sanders Stadium in Huntsville. The games are scheduled for 7:30, 4:00 and 2:00, respectively.
In the annual poll conducted by the league's 10 coaches, KSU received 98 points and eight out of 10 possible first-place votes. Central Michigan was tabbed second with 86 points and Ball State third with 73. The other two first-place votes went to Miami and Northern Illinois. This year's MAC Tournament format has changed to qualify six teams based on winning percentage with the top two seeds earning byes.
With a 81-32 record over the last two seasons, Kent State is aiming to once again break through in the post-season after narrowly missing out in 2016 and 2017. The Flashes last made a NCAA regional in 2014 under now-fifth year head coach Jeff Duncan.
"We're obviously excited about the opportunity to get outside and start the season against a very good opponent in a very nice ballpark," Duncan said.
Senior Eli Kraus, KSU's probable starter in the coveted Friday slot, enters the 2018 campaign fresh off two sensational seasons on the bump. He's won 17 games over the last two years and has been the model of consistency for the Golden Flashes.
"I want to give us a fighting chance every single time I'm on the mound, no matter who we're playing. I want to play in the post-season," Kraus said. "My goal is to maintain the consistency I've had over the past two seasons."
The veteran southpaw also spoke about the proverbial target on KSU's back.
"We love the target on our back. We want to win the league outright and earn that number one seed in the tournament and then win it to make a run into the NCAA post-season. That starts by having a strong non-conference season," he said.
DIAMOND DIALOGUE
- Kent State is opening its 91st season of baseball this weekend.
- The Golden Flashes have won either the Mid-American Conference regular season or tournament championship in 10 of the last 11 seasons.
- Kent State's current NCAA Regional Tournament drought of three seasons is the longest since 1995-2000.
- The Golden Flashes will take aim at their 20th consecutive season with at least 30 victories. KSU has had one sub-.500 season since 1981.
- Kent State's first trip to the state of Texas since a visit to Baylor in 2015.
- Senior lefty Eli Kraus is poised to return to the front of KSU's rotation after compiling records of 9-1 and 8-3 in 2016 and 2017, respectively.
- The Golden Flashes return three of their top five hitters from 2017 in Mason Mamarella (.330), Nick Kanavas (.308) and Tim DalPorto (.304).
- This is the first meeting between Kent State and Sam Houston State.
- The Bearkats have been to the NCAA Regionals in five of the last six years. In 2017 Sam Houston State advanced the Super Regionals for the first time in school history.
THE BOOK OF ELI
Kent State's senior southpaw Eli Kraus has rocketed up the Golden Flashes' pitching record lists during the past three seasons. The Medina, Ohio native has won 17 career games for the blue and gold over the previous two seasons after a breakout 9-1 effort in 2016 and 8-3 mark in 2017. As consistent as you'd ever want a starter to be, Kraus' splits from the past two campaigns tell the story:
- 2016 – 14 starts – 9-1 – 2.64 ERA – 88 2/3 IP – 59 K – 24 BB
- 2017 – 14 starts – 8-3 – 2.69 ERA – 93 2/3 IP – 73 K – 21 BB
Not only has Kraus become one of KSU's most reliable and decorated arms, he is also a self-taught guitarist, often times bringing the instrument on road trips to continue to tune his craft.
Kraus is a two-time First Team All-MAC selection and was named to the 2017 MAC All-Tournament team thanks to a career effort - a complete game three-hit shutout of Toledo with eight strikeouts and one walk in the post-season opener.
NATIONAL MEDIA HIGH ON FLASHES
Once, again, members of the national media think highly of the Golden Flashes coming into the 2018 season. In December, Collegiate Baseball Newspaper ranked KSU 34th in its Pre-season Top 40 poll. The publication also selected pitcher Joey Murray a Second-team Pre-Season All-American.
At the end of January, Baseball America picked Kent State as the "Team to Beat" in the Mid-American Conference. Citing the team's pitching depth and veteran lineup, the preview added "If the Golden Flashes can put it all together (in the MAC Tournament), they have a team that would be dangerous in a regional."
BUILT ROAD TOUGH
Kent State has been one of the nation's best road teams over the past two seasons. Between 2016 and 2017, the Golden Flashes have posted a sparkling 42-15 record away from Portage County. That mark includes an impressive eight sweeps on the road.
SCOUTING SAM
The 2018 season opener will put the Golden Flashes to the test immediately. Sam Houston State is coming off its finest season in school history. The Bearkats hammered their way to a 44-23 campaign in 2017 which included Southland Conference and NCAA Lubbock Regional championships. The Kats have made eight NCAA Tournament appearances since 2007. To win their most recent title, Sam Houston State won three straight elimination games – including back-to-back one-run wins over host Texas Tech. Head coach Matt Deggs has led the Bearkats to two straight 40-win seasons in 2016 and 2017. Rookie pitcher Hayden Wesneski had an unbelievable freshman year, going 10-2 with an ERA of 3.93. He was named the Southland Conference Freshman of the Year. Located roughly 65 miles north of Houston, Sam Houston State's most recognizable alumnus is former CBS Evening News anchor Dan Rather.
CRACK ONE OPEN
The Golden Flashes have posted a 3-7 record in season openers over the past 10 years. They are 1-3 under Jeff Duncan, including a 15-0 rout of Belmont a year ago. KSU began the magical 2012 season with a 5-0 shutout of Georgia Tech and bounced UNC-Greensboro on the road in 2009. Some of the opening day losses have come to solid opposition, such as fourth-ranked Virginia in 2016, at Arizona in 2014 and Georgia Tech in Atlanta in 2011.
