Flashes Sweep Northwestern in Twin Bill at Schoonover

Friday, March 15

Kent, OH

1:00 p.m.

Kent State University

6-10

Northwestern University

5-10

Northwestern

Kent State

Photo by: David Dermer

Flashes Sweep Northwestern in Twin Bill at Schoonover

3/15/2019 10:32:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

KENT, Ohio – The Kent State University baseball team (7-10) brought its bats Friday afternoon, as the Flashes swept the twin bill over Power Five opponent Northwestern (5-11) at Schoonover Stadium. The Flashes won the opener 11-5 behind the bats of seniors Pavin Parks and Pete Schuler, each launching a home run and combining for five hits and five RBIs. In the night cap, Kent State notched a season-high 16 hits with six Flashes recording multi-hit games in the 12-1 win.

"We played our best games of the year today," head coach Jeff Duncan said. "It was good to see. Our guys played free and with passion. They are starting to really get confident, which is good to see. We played Kent State baseball."

The Kent State offense went to work early in the first game of the day and never relented, scoring in 11 of 16 innings a Flash stepped to the plate and forcing nine Wildcat pitchers to the bump. The Flashes notched 30 hits over the two games, and featured four home runs including a grand slam by Parks in the opener. Kent State thrived with two outs in both ballgames, tallying 15 of its 23 total runs with one out left in the frame.

Schuler went 6-for-8 on the day with two home runs and a double, and was just a triple short of hitting for the cycle in the first game. The senior also scored five runs on the day while recording three RBIs.

"We did a really good job with the game within the game," Duncan added. "We didn't leave the strike zone at all. We made it really tough on the opposing pitcher, which was really important today. Even our outs were really productive, moving runners. We had a lot of quality at bats."

Game 1: Kent State 11, Northwestern 5

Senior Connor Wollersheim (1-3) picked up his first win of the season, spinning another gem through 6.0 innings. He opened the game striking out the side in order and went on to fan a total of seven on the day. Junior Zach Schultz (1-1) finished the game out of the bullpen, picking up his first save of the season with 3.0 innings of work.

The Flashes took an early lead in the bottom of the first as Schuler led off the inning with a two-out double to left center. Sophomore Nick Elsen punched a single to center field to score Schuler and get Kent State on the scoreboard. Elsen then stole second and scored on an RBI-single to right field off the bat of junior Patrick Ferguson.

Kent State poured on six additional runs in the next inning as a one-out single from redshirt sophomore Kevin Dobos provided an offensive spark. With two outs, redshirt sophomore Ben Carew singled to right field to score Dobos. Schuler followed with a single to put two men on for Elsen to record his second RBI in as many swings with a single to right center. Ferguson drew a walk to load the bases for Pavin Parks, who rocketed a line drive directly over the wall in right field for the grand slam, making it 8-0 in favor of the Flashes.

The Wildcats managed three runs between the third and fourth innings and held off the Golden Flashes until Schuler stepped to the plate in the bottom of the fourth and ripped a solo shot opposite field to lead off the frame. Ferguson drew a walk with bases loaded an inning later, bringing the score to 10-3.

The Wildcats picked up a run on two hits to lead off the sixth, but the Flashes erased it with their 11^thand final run of the game coming from a bunt-single by sophomore Greg Lewandoski that scored senior Kian O'Brien.

The Wildcats went on to score a run in the top of the eighth, but the Flashes would walk away with the 11-5 victory.

The Flashes notched 14 hits in the opening game and saw hits from seven starters. Schuler went 4-for-5 in the first game, with three runs scored and an RBI. Carew followed going 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored, while Parks led with four RBIs on one swing with two walks. Ferguson also reached base four times, collecting three walks, 2 RBIs and a run to start the day.

Game 2: Kent State 12, Northwestern 1

The bats stayed hot despite the chilly weather in the night cap as the Flashes notched a season-high 16 hits to complete the sweep, 12-1. Schuler started the second-game scoring spree with a two-out home run pulled over the wall in right-center field in the bottom of the first inning.

The Flashes tacked on four runs and forced an early Northwestern pitching change in the bottom of the third to extend the lead to 5-0. Dobos led off the frame with a double smoked to right-center field and freshman Justin Kirby wore a pitch for a free base. Carew scored Dobos from second on a single that zipped through the left side. Schuler loaded the bases with a walk to force the Wildcats to dip into the bullpen. A wild pitch scored Kirby, and Elsen re-loaded the bases with a walk before Ferguson and Parks came up with back-to-back sacrifice fly balls.

Kent State added a run in each of the fourth, fifth and sixth frames to bring it 7-0, Flashes. In the bottom of the fourth, Kirby legged out a two-out triple drilled to center field and scored on a single by Carew. Hollander tallied an RBI in the bottom of the fifth with a two-out single to left field, and Schuler added a sacrifice fly in the sixth.

The Kent State offense laid on four additional runs in the seventh inning to round out the day. Ferguson drew his fourth free pass of the day to lead off the inning, and was followed by a one-out single by O'Brien. Hollander loaded the bases with a walk before Dobos came up with a sacrifice fly to center field. Kirby followed with his first career home run, a three-run bomb that soared well beyond the wall in left field.

In the nightcap, Carew went 3-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored while Parks went 3-for-4 at the plate with an RBI. Kirby had a career day, collecting two hits in three at bats with a triple, a home run, three RBIs and four runs scored. Ferguson, Hollander and Schuler each added a pair of hits to close the night.

Junior John Matthews (1-4) picked up his first win of the season, starting on the mound for the Flashes and spinning 6.0 scoreless innings. The Punxsutawney, Pa. native allowed just five hits and struck out six on the night. Freshman Luke Albright made his fifth appearance out of the bullpen, tossing 2.0 innings of relief and fanning three. Redshirt senior Chris Martin entered the game in the top of the ninth, striking out the side in order to slam the door on the Wildcats.

The final game of the series, originally scheduled for Saturday, March 16 at 1:00 p.m. has been canceled due to inclement weather in Northeast Ohio. The Flashes will be back in action at 3 p.m. Wednesday, March 20 at Pitt.