Golden Flashes Drop Second Game of the Series, 8-4

Saturday, February 16

Dallas, TX

3:00 p.m./2:00 CST

Kent State University

0-2

Dallas Baptist University

2-0

Kent State

DBU

Golden Flashes Drop Second Game of the Series, 8-4

2/16/2019 8:04:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

DALLAS, Texas – The Kent State baseball fell to 0-2 on the season with an 8-4 loss to Dallas Baptist (2-0) Saturday afternoon despite a spark of offense. Freshman Collin Mathews highlighted launched a two-run pinch hit home run for his first hit as a Golden Flash.

Kent State's bats warmed up in the second game of the season as the offense matched Dallas Baptist with nine hits. The Patriots came up with key defensive plays that kept the Kent State offense at bay.

"We played better today, and I thought we had really good at bats all day," head coach Jeff Duncan said. "Defensively, we had two costly mistakes that made the difference again in today's game. We just need to stay positive. We have the ability, ut we also need to realize that we don't get these games back. All we can do is learn from this. Matthews threw the ball well today, and Max Rippl and Ryan Kircher looked good in their debuts.

The Flashes fell behind 3-0 early as the Patriots pushed across three runs with two-outs in the bottom of the first inning, and threatened in the top of the second. With two outs, sophomore Nick Elsen ripped a double to left center and sophomore Michael Turner followed with a walk. Sophomore Greg Lewandoski nearly scored Elsen with single rocketed to left, but he was thrown out in a close play at home to end the inning.

Kent State tallied its first run of the season in the fifth, stringing together hits from Turner, Ben Carew and Cam Touchette. Touchette lined a shot to left that looked to score two, but Dallas Baptist's diving left fielder made the catch and doubled off Carew at second, only after the Flashes crossed the plate for their first run of the night. The Patriots responded with a run in the bottom of the inning bringing the score to 4-2, Patriots.

The Flashes started to come back in the top of the sixth, adding a run off the bat of pinch hitter Alex Ronnebaum, but the Patriots tacked on four more runs in the bottom half of the inning to make it 8-2, Dallas Baptist. Collin Mathews tallied the final runs of the day in the ninth, entering the game as pinch hitter and soaring a two-run home run over left field fence.

Junior John Matthews suffered the loss on the mound, despite a strong outing. The Punxsutawney, Pa. native fanned eight batters in 4.2 innings of work, walking two and allowing two earned runs. Red-shirt freshman Peyton Deats added 1.0 innings out of the bullpen, and freshmen Ryan Kircher and Max Rippl came in as relief for their first career appearances.

The Flashes will close out the series at Dallas Baptist at Horner Ballpark Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. EST.

The 2019 Kent State Baseball Season is brought to you by Hometown Bank. Hometown Bank and Kent State Baseball – A Winning Team. There's no place like home.