Declawed

Wednesday, April 18

Kent, OH

4:00

Kent State University

23-10

Pittsburgh

19-15

Pittsburgh

Kent State

Photo by: David Dermer

4/18/2018 7:09:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Flashes pitching handcuffs Pitt again, 2-0 as Elsen stays hot

By: Ty Linder

KENT, OHIO – Kent State got more superb mound work and two timely hits to complete a season sweep of Pittsburgh Wednesday night at Schoonover Stadium.

Nick Elsen provided all of KSU's offense with a two-out RBI single in the sixth to break a scoreless tie and then a long home run down the left field line in the eighth. He now has seven hits in his last seven at-bats after a five-for-five performance on Sunday. Nick Kanavas and Mason Mamarella also had multi-hit games for Kent State.

Jared Skolnicki started for the Golden Flashes and pitched into the sixth. He was then succeeded by John Schreiber and Robert Zeigler who each needed just one pitch to end the sixth frame. That set the stage for Elsen's clutch hit. He drove one back up the middle to score Pavin Parks and the Golden Flashes were in flight.

The closest Pitt came to denting the scoreboard came in the eighth when the Panthers loaded the bases with two outs. But reliever John Matthews fanned cleanup batter Caleb Perry to end the threat. Rookie Collin Romel then worked an uneventful ninth to pick up his second save over Pittsburgh in the last eight days.

With last Tuesday's 4-1 win coupled with Wednesday night's 2-0 triumph, KSU pitchers stymied the Panthers' bats over an 18-inning span. They held Pitt to one run on eight hits in the two games with 17 strikeouts. The Flashes also swept the season series a year ago.

Now 23-10, KSU will take a one-game lead into action Friday afternoon when Ohio comes to town. Games are also slated for Saturday at 4 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m.