Flashes Shut Down by Bearkats as Series Evens

Saturday, February 17

Huntsville, TX

4:00/3:00c

Kent State University

1-1

Sam Houston State

1-1

Kent State

Sam Houston State

Flashes Shut Down by Bearkats as Series Evens

2/17/2018 6:43:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Sensational sophomore quiets KSU bats in complete game gem

By: Ty Linder

HUNTSVILLE, Texas – Not quite 24 hours after their most dramatic opening night win in recent memory, the Kent State Golden Flashes were shut down by 2017 Southland Conference Rookie of the Year Hayden Wesneski in a 5-1 defeat.

Up until the ninth inning, the right-hander allowed only one KSU runner to reach second base and no one beyond that. He had two separate streaks of retired hitters totaling 11 and 10. He induced Flashes' hitters to roll into 15 ground ball outs and finished with 8 strikeouts. He made 97 pitches in the complete game a day after the Sam Houston State bullpen had a rough outing.

"Sometimes you just have to tip your cap," head coach Jeff Duncan said. "I thought we had some decent at-bats, but when a guy with that kind of talent can throw multiple pitches for strikes, it is very tough."

Scoreless into the fourth, the Bearkats (1-1) broke through with a triple from Andrew Fregia and sac fly from Hunter Hearn to take a 1-0 lead. They added on in the sixth when a perfectly executed double steal set the stage for a RBI ground out from Fregia, chasing KSU starter Joey Murray. Leading 2-0 in the eighth, Sam Houston put the game away with three more runs against the Flashes' bullpen.

Kent State (1-1), which scored five ninth-inning runs Friday night, finally dented the plate in the ninth when Reilly Hawkins beat out a potential double play with the bases loaded, allowing Greg Lewandoski to score.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

First Inning Chance: Against Wesneski, KSU's best chance to score may have come in the very first inning. With two outs, Reilly Hawkins singled and promptly stole second base. However, the sophomore hurler toughened up and struck out Kian O'Brien, preventing the Golden Flashes from striking first.

Larceny x2: With hits and runs at a premium in this battle of terrific underclassmen, the Bearkats forced the action in the sixth inning with a brilliant double steal with one out against lefty reliever Connor Wollersheim. A ground out brought in Sam Houston State's second run.

QUOTABLE

"We lost, but we went down fighting. It's encouraging to see us still putting together solid at-bats late in games. That is going to benefit us down the road."

- - Duncan, on his team scoring in the ninth inning for a second straight game

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS

The Bearkats manufactured their first three runs of the game. The first scored on a sac fly, the second on a ground out and third on a foul fly ball.

Wesneski started his 2018 season off much like 2017 ended. A year ago he was 10-2 with a 3.93 ERA. Last season the Golden Flashes were 27-10 against right-handed starters.

WHAT'S NEXT

The Golden Flashes will aim for a series win when the two teams finish the series Sunday afternoon. KSU will send Jared Skolnicki to the mound while Sam Houston counters with lefty Dominic Robinson.