Flashes Defeat Dayton in Midweek Matchup

Tuesday, April 30

Kent, OH

6:00 p.m.

Kent State University

22-20

University of Dayton

24-21-1

Dayton

Kent State

Photo by: David Dermer

4/30/2019 11:06:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

KENT, Ohio – The Kent State University baseball team (22-20, 9-7 MAC) picked up its 22^ndwin of the season, defeating Dayton (24-21-1, 12-6 A-10) 9-6 at Schoonover Stadium Tuesday night. Redshirt freshman Peyton Deats improved to 4-0 on the mound while also recording a walk in his first career at bat.

Kent State played a straight nine-man lineup without a designated hitter position, starting senior two-way player Pavin Parks on the bump. Parks tossed 3.2 innings and struck out five before moving back to short stop to finish the game. Deats came in out of the bull pen, subbing into the batting lineup and adding 3.1 innings of scoreless work on the mound. He earned the win with four strikeouts on the night. Freshman Max Rippl made his 11^thappearance in relief and redshirt sophomore Tyler Drabick earned his second save of the season, closing the door on the Flyers with three strikeouts in 2.0 scoreless innings.

Kent State fell behind 2-0 in the top of the second inning, marking the third straight game that the Flashes have worked from behind.

The Flashes responded in the bottom of the frame as Parks led off the inning with his 33^rdwalk of the season. He eventually advanced on another walk and an infield ground ball before capitalizing on a wild pitch to score.

The Flyers added two runs on two hits in the third inning to take a 4-1 lead, but the Flashes quickly responded with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning. Freshman Collin Mathews started the inning with a double to left-center field and sophomore Michael Turner followed with a single that advanced Mathews to third. Senior Kian O'Brien walked to load the bases before Parks picked up an RBI on a single punched to left field. Freshman Justin Kirby followed with an RBI-walk that forced a Dayton pitching change. Despite having Flashes on all the bases without an out, the Flyers worked out of the inning with the relief pitcher holding a 4-3 advantage.

The score remained until the bottom of the fifth as the Flashes wreaked havoc with two outs to take a 5-4 lead. Kirby was plunked and redshirt sophomore Alex Ronnebaum drew his second walk of the game before Deats stepped into the batter's box for the first time. With Deats at the plate, Kirby and Ronnebaum executed a double steal to advance to third and second base, respectively. Kirby then scored and Ronnebaum advanced to third on a balk. Working to a full count, Deats drew a walk that also scored Ronnebaum on a wild pitch.

In the sixth inning, redshirt sophomore Ben Carew scored the Flashes' second run on an errant pitch and fourth on a pitching miscue. Parks rounded out Kent State's scoring and extended the lead to 9-4 with a three-run home run scorched to right-center field, his eighth long ball this year.

The Flyers went on to add two runs in the top of the eighth inning, but it would not be enough as Kent State earned a 9-6 victory.

The Flashes collected eight hits and 10 walks on the night, swiping five bases. Mathews led the offense, going 4-for-5 with two doubles and two runs scored. Parks added four RBIs on two hits with two runs scored while Carew walked twice and collected a hit, reaching base for his 23^rdconsecutive game.

Next up, Kent State will continue the Mid-American Conference slate, hosting Toledo its final weekend series at Schoonover Stadium Friday through Sunday, May 3-5.