Flashes Dominate Central Michigan in Series Opener

Friday, April 12

Kent, OH

6:00 p.m.

Kent State University

14-17, 0

Central Michigan University

24-9, 0

Central Michigan

Kent State

Photo by: David Dermer

Flashes Dominate Central Michigan in Series Opener

4/12/2019 10:48:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

KENT, Ohio –The Kent State University baseball team (14-17) improved to 4-4 in the Mid-American Conference, slugging past Central Michigan (24-9, 7-3 MAC) 10-4 in the series opener Friday night at Schoonover Stadium. Junior Alex Ronnebaum highlighted the Kent State offense that totaled 13 hits, launching two home runs and a double on the night.

Senior Connor Wollersheim (3-4) earned the win on the mound in his ninth start this season, providing the Flashes with 6.0 solid innings with four strikeouts. Junior Zach Schultz picked up his second save, tossing 3.0 scoreless innings of relief. He allowed just one hit in his appearance while striking out two.

"I think we got a good start out of Connor Wollersheim," Head Coach Jeff Duncan said.
Offensively we were relentless, scoring almost every inning. We had several at bats in the beginning that set the tone. Obviously, we had a big performance from Alex Ronnebaum, Michael Turner and Ben Carew, but we just really good at bats one through nine in our order."

Long at bats and two-out strikes were pivotal in the Flashes' victory, forcing Central Michigan to dip into the bull pen early. The Kent State offense made CMU ace Pat Leatherman (5-1) throw more than 80 pitches in just 2.2 innings of work and allow six runs (five coming with two outs) before he exited the game. The Chippewas would see three additional pitchers take the mound on the night.

"Central Michigan's starter came in with great numbers, but I think we had a good plan for him and we stuck to it," Duncan explained. "It was important, especially with a Friday starter like that, to get into their bullpen. It was huge going into two games tomorrow."

Wollersheim started the game with a six-pitch inning to retire the side and give the offense a chance to strike first. The Flashes capitalized on the opportunity, scoring a run off the bat of O'Brien to take a 1-0 lead.

The Chippewas answered with a run in the next frame, however the Flashes scored on an RBI-single up the middle by redshirt sophomore Ben Carew in the bottom half of the inning to regain the lead – a lead that was never relinquished through the remainder of the game.

The Flashes poured on four runs in the third inning to extend the lead to 6-1. Senior Kian O'Brien drew a one-out walk and was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by senior Pavin Parks. Junior Patrick Ferguson followed with a walk before senior Josh Hollander singled to left field, scoring O'Brien. Ronnebaum then stepped to the plate and rocketed a three-run home run to right center to force Leatherman to leave the game.

Central Michigan managed a run in the top of the fourth, but it was quickly erased in the bottom half of the inning by an RBI single by junior Cam Touchette to make it 7-2.

Ronnebaum went opposite field to left in the fifth inning for a two-run home run, his fourth of the season, to extend the Kent State lead to 9-2.

Central Michigan scored its final runs of the game in the top of the sixth with a two-run long ball.

The Flashes rounded out Friday's scoring in the bottom of the sixth as sophomore Michael Turner notched his first home run of the season, a solo moonshot to right field to bring the final score to 10-4.

The Kent State offense notched 13 hits without striking out once on the night, seeing all nine starters reach base. Ronnebaum led the team going 3-for-4 with two home runs and a double to total five RBIs and two runs scored. Carew, Hollander, Parks, and Turner added two hits apiece while Hollander crossed home plate three times on the night.

"I'm really excited about the enthusiasm we had in the game," Duncan added. "We won pitches and stayed with it. We really attacked the game."

Due to inclement weather expected in Northeast Ohio on Sunday, the schedule for the remainder of the series has been rearranged. Saturday, April 13 will feature a twin bill to close out the series a day early with games scheduled for 1:00 and 4:00 p.m. Tickets will cost just $5 for the day and will include both games of the day.