Walking the Tightrope

Sunday, March 11

Fayetteville, AR

2:05/1:05c

Kent State University

7-5

Arkansas

11-4

Kent State

Arkansas

Photo by: Rhett Hutchins

3/11/2018 7:39:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Tight strike zone leads to 10 walks as Hogs take series

By: Ty Linder

Walking the Tightrope

Tight strike zone leads to 10 walks as Hogs take series

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Kent State pitchers walked an uncharacteristic 10 men and the Golden Flashes handed over a 4-1 lead as seventh-ranked Arkansas ran away with the rubber match of a three-game series at Charlie Baum Stadium.

Leading 4-1 at the midway point, 15 outs from their first series win in Southeastern Conference country in more than a decade, the Golden Flashes gave up a single fifth-inning run and then surrendered a 4-2 lead when the Razorbacks tied it in the bottom of the sixth. Still, the game – and series – was still tantalizingly up for grabs in the seventh.

KSU – which has made a habit out of bludgeoning clubs in the late innings in 2018 – saw just the opposite transpire Sunday. Unable to move the needle against Hogs' reliever Evan Lee, the Flashes gave up seven runs in the seventh and eighth innings combined and the game quickly fell out of reach. Lee worked four and a third innings of shutout, two-hit relief. Kent State's pen was touched up for nine runs, seven of them earned after starter Joey Murray exited after five. Murray, who normally has pinpoint command, battled a tight strike zone all afternoon.

Offensively, Mason Mamarella led KSU. He collected two of Kent State's six hits on the day and drove in two. However, the good guys were hurt by three double play balls. Flashes' hitters struck out just four times and also drew four walks.

WHAT'S NEXT

Weather permitting Kent State will open the 2018 home schedule on Wednesday against Malone at Schoonover Stadium. Next weekend KSU will meet Western Carolina for a third straight year. The series is slated for March 16-18 in Cullowhee.