Kent State University
21-19, 9-6
Ohio University
14-26, 8-9
Kent State Wins Fifth Straight
4/27/2019 4:54:00 PM | Baseball
ATHENS, Ohio – Extending its winning streak to a season-high five games, the Kent State University baseball team (21-19, 9-6 MAC) slugged four home runs in a 18-11 come-from-behind victory over Ohio University (14-26, 8-9 MAC) at Bob Wren Stadium Saturday afternoon. Sophomore Michael Turner's first career grand slam in the top of the sixth inning marked the turning point on the afternoon.
Trailing by as many as six, the Kent State offense never relented, slashing a season-high 20 hits on the day and scoring in six consecutive frames after the second inning. Every Kent State starter reached base, forcing eight Ohio pitchers to the mound.
Redshirt sophomore Alex Ronnebaum led the offense going 4-for-6 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Junior Cam Touchette extended his hitting streak to 12 games, collecting three hits with a home run, two RBIs and three runs. Seniors Kian O'Brien and Josh Hollander each added three hits apiece while O'Brien knocked his seventh home run of the season and picked up three RBIs. Turner went 2-for-5 with four RBIs and two runs scored.
Junior John Matthews slammed the door on the Bobcats and earned the win on the mound, tossing 6.1 innings of relief and striking out six.
The Bobcats struck first, scoring a run in the bottom of the first and adding three in the next inning.
The Flashes responded in the top of the third as Touchette launched a two-run home run to right field to bring the score to 5-2, his first of the season.
Ohio quickly responded with a four-run bottom half of the inning to extend its lead to 8-2, but the Bobcats would be held scoreless until the bottom of the seventh as the Flashes chipped away at the deficit.
The Flashes managed a run on a sacrifice fly by freshman Justin Kirby in the top of the fourth before O'Brien crushed a two-run home run to left field an inning later.
In the top of the sixth inning, Ronnebaum and Kirby each singled to left field to lead off the inning and force an Ohio pitching change. Redshirt sophomore Ben Carew advanced both runners with a sacrifice bunt before Touchette loaded the bases, drawing a free pass.
Turner then launched a grand slam to left-center field to give Kent State its first lead of the game, 9-8.
The Flashes went on to see the entire lineup come to the plate and Ronnebaum collected his second hit of the inning, the first Golden Flash to record two hits in an inning since April 7, 2018 at Central Michigan (Hollander, two singles). The Flashes added three more runs and forced another Ohio pitching change to round out the inning with a 12-8 advantage.
O'Brien collected his third RBI of the day in the top of the seventh inning, scoring Carew on an infield ground ball.
The Bobcats kept up the fight, launching a three-run home run in the bottom of the frame to bring the score to 13-11.
In the top of the eighth, the Flashes poured on five runs to round out the day. Ronnebaum and Kirby each scorched an RBI-doubles to the warning track in center field and Carew followed with his second home run of the series, a two-run blast to right field. The Flashes capitalized on a Bobcat defensive miscue to walk away with an 18-11 victory.
The Flashes will look for its first three-game series sweep of the season Sunday afternoon, closing out the series against Ohio at Bob Wren Stadium at 1 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Matthews, John (4-5)
L: B. Kelly (1-2)
Batting:
2B: Carew, Ben 1 ; O'Brien, Kian 1 ; Hollander, Josh 2 ; Ronnebaum, Alex 1 ; Kirby, Justin 1
HR: Carew, Ben 1 ; Touchette, Cam 1 ; Turner, Michael 1 ; O'Brien, Kian 1
RBI: Carew, Ben 2 ; Touchette, Cam 2 ; Turner, Michael 4 ; O'Brien, Kian 3 ; Hollander, Josh 1 ; Ronnebaum, Alex 2 ; Kirby, Justin 2
SH: Carew, Ben 1
SF: Kirby, Justin 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Carew, Ben 3 ; Touchette, Cam 3 ; Turner, Michael 2 ; O'Brien, Kian 2 ; Mathews, Collin 1 ; Hollander, Josh 3 ; Ronnebaum, Alex 2 ; Kirby, Justin 2
SB: Carew, Ben 1 ; Touchette, Cam 1 ; Mathews, Collin 1
CS: Touchette, Cam 1
HBP: Carew, Ben 1
Batting:
2B: T. Piechnick 1 ; S. Fabik 1
HR: T. Hafner 1 ; S. Fabik 1
RBI: R. Rott 1 ; T. Hafner 4 ; S. Fabik 5
Base Running:
RUNS: M. Richardso 1 ; N. Mallott 1 ; T. Funderbur 1 ; T. Piechnick 2 ; C. Revels 2 ; T. Hafner 3 ; S. Fabik 1
CS: R. Rott 1
HBP: C. Revels 1 ; T. Hafner 1 ; S. Fabik 1
