Kent State University
Bowling Green
Old Rivals Meet at Schoonover
5/3/2018 11:33:00 AM | Baseball
Long-time foes KSU, BG clash for three-game MAC series
KENT STATE GAME NOTES
KENT, OHIO – With a magic number of eight, the Kent State baseball team prepares to host Bowling Green in a three-game Mid-American Conference series this weekend at Schoonover Stadium.
In first place by two games over both Miami and Central Michigan, KSU is closing in on another regular season league title. The magic number is reduced by one every time Kent State wins a league game or if the second place team(s) lose. It drops by two if both things happen. This weekend Miami faces Western Michigan and Central takes on Eastern.
Kent State is currently 29-13 - a win away from their 30th triumph of the year. It would be 20 straight years with at least 30 wins for the Golden Flashes – a team which has only finished under .500 once since 1981. Kent is seeking the top seed and a first round bye, along with home team advantage throughout the 2018 MAC Tournaments.
The Flashes split their two mid-week games, falling to Wright State and defeating Walsh. Kent State will send Joey Murray to the mound on Friday night, Jared Skolnicki on Saturday and Eli Kraus on Sunday. The game times are 6 p.m., 4 p.m. and 1 p.m.
DIAMOND DIALOGUE
- Kent State returns to league play after splitting two mid-week games – the Golden Flashes fell at Wright State, 8-6 on Tuesday and beat Walsh 12-3 Wednesday.
- KSU went 14-3 in the month of April, sweeping three MAC series to move into first place.
- Kent State's magic number to clinch the regular season league title, No. 1 seed and first round bye is EIGHT. The number is reduced by any combination of KSU wins and/or losses by the second place club(s).
- With 4-1 and 2-0 wins over Pitt, Kent State now boasts four wins (three on the road) over Power Five conference teams – Arkansas (10-4) and Notre Dame (4-1).
- KSU is jumping on teams early and late in 2018. The Flashes have outscored the opposition 43-13 in the first inning and 32-20 in the ninth inning or later so far in the 2018 season.
- The Golden Flashes have won either the Mid-American Conference regular season or tournament championship in 10 of the last 11 seasons.
- KSU has been tabbed the pre-season league favorite in both the regular and post-season.
- The Golden Flashes are one win away from their 20th consecutive season with at least 30 victories. KSU has had one sub-.500 season since 1981.
SCOUTING THE FALCONS
The Bowling Green Falcons have dropped six straight games coming into this weekend's action. They were recently swept by second-place Central Michigan last weekend, but all three games were relatively close. BG's issues have primarily come on the road, where the club has dropped 22 of its 26 games. The Falcons are a solid offensive squad, hitting a collective .262. Ty Suntken and Randy Righter lead the way with the bats and Neil Lambert has stolen 11 bases in 15 tries. Kody Brown has had a tremendous season on the mound, recording 29 strikeouts in his nearly 50 innings of work. He is 2-1 with a fine 2.19 ERA. Bowling Green is 2-23 when trailing after six innings of play. They are led by veteran skipper Danny Schmitz, who recently won his 700th career game with a victory over OU.
