Flashes Suffer Opening Series Sweep by Dallas Baptist

Sunday, February 17

Dallas, TX

1:00 p.m./12:00 CST

Kent State University

0-3

Dallas Baptist University

3-0

Kent State

DBU

Flashes Suffer Opening Series Sweep by Dallas Baptist

2/17/2019 5:11:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

DALLAS, Texas –The Kent State baseball team fell to Dallas Baptist (3-0) in the series finale, 8-1, at Horner Ballpark in Dallas, Texas on Sunday afternoon. The Flashes (0-3) were overpowered by the Patriot offense and suffered their first opening series sweep since 2016.

The Flashes fell behind early as the Patriots notched two runs in the bottom of the first inning, but responded in the top of the third when sophomore Michael Turner led off the inning with a double to left center and advanced to third on a pass ball. Freshman Collin Mathews came up with an RBI single through the left side to put the Flashes on the scoreboard.

The Patriots added six more runs over the remaining innings, three of which came off of two home runs by designated hitter Christian Boulware. Dallas Baptist pitching held Kent State to just five hits on the day, striking out 11 and stranding three runners on base.

Turner led Flashes offensively in the series, scoring three of Kent State's five runs and notching three hits with two doubles and a walk over the three games. The Northeast, Ohio native went 2-for-3 Sunday, leading off the top of the third inning with a double and the fifth with a single. In the first three games, senior Josh Hollander added three hits and freshman Collin Mathews knocked in three runs on two hits, including a two-run home run Saturday.

A combined effort from the Kent State pitching staff totaled six strike outs and allowed eight hits to a Dallas Baptist offense that averaged 10.3 hits per game last season. Senior John Schreiber started on the hill for the Flashes, recording 3.0 innings and two strikeouts in the loss. Freshman Luke Albright made his career debut, adding 2.1 innings of relief, and Jack Zimmerman and Tyler Drabick each made appearances out of the bullpen. Zimmerman, named to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Watch List last week, retired five of the six batters he faced, striking out two in 1.2 innings of scoreless work.

Errors plagued the Flashes in Dallas, as they totaled eight defensive miscues that allowed seven unearned runs over the three-game series.

The Flashes will be back in action in Conway, S.C. Feb. 22-24, leading off the weekend against North Carolina State Friday at 2:00 p.m. Kent State will also face Coastal Carolina and Michigan State during the weekend.

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.