Flashes Head to Sandusky to Face Spartans
9/20/2019 11:57:00 AM | Baseball
SANDUSKY, OHIO- Kent State baseball, led by head coach Jeff Duncan, heads to the Sandusky Sports Force Parks at Cedar Point this weekend for a fall exhibition on Sunday against the Michigan State Spartans.
ABOUT THE MATCHUP
Sunday's game will have a 1 p.m. first pitch and be a standard nine-inning fall exhibition. Kent State will have an open practice from 1-3 on Saturday on field three of the Sports Force complex.
ABOUT KENT STATE
Sunday's contest marks the fall opener for the Kent State Golden Flashes who are coming off a 30-24 season that saw the squad go 17-8 in MAC play. It was the 21st straight season of 30 or more wins for Kent State.
The Golden Flashes return several standouts from the 2019 squad, led by Ben Carew, who hit a team best .406 on the season including .435 in conference play, earning first-team all-conference honors as a result.
MAC Freshman of the Year Justin Kirby is back after leading the MAC in slugging, doubles and homers during the conference season. In total, Kirby hit .313 with nine homers and 30 driven in on the year in 42 games.
Catcher Michael Turner is another first-team All-MAC player to watch, after hitting .366 last season and driving in 32 runs in MAC play alone.
On the bump, eyes will look toward now sophomore Luke Albright. The righty enjoyed a sterling freshman season, going 4-1 with a 2.81 earned run average and a pair of saves. Albright worked primarily out of the bullpen in 2019 but did get a start and a victory against Eastern Michigan, throwing five shutout innings. All told, Albright threw 51 and a third innings last year, striking out 54 and holding opponents to a .178 average.
ABOUT MICHIGAN STATE
The Spartans are competing at the Sports Force Complex for the third-straight season. They are coming off a 20-34 season last year that included a 12-2 setback to Kent State as part of a tournament at Coastal Carolina. The Spartans graduated their top two run producers last season but do return all three pitchers who made at least nine starts in 2019.
TICKET INFORMATION
A daily entrance fee to the park is $10 for guests ages five and older, $8 for seniors and free for those under the age of five. Event long admission for both days is $17 for guests ages five and older, $14 for seniors and free for those under the age of five. Tickets include unlimited use of Sports Force Parks' attractions during operating hours, which include Sky Trail and Putt-in-Bay mini golf. There will also be a youth baseball tournament that weekend in addition to the Michigan State vs. Kent State practices and exhibition game.
LOOKING AHEAD
Kent State will have one more fall date, as they host Malone on Tuesday, October 1st. First pitch from Olga Mural Field at Schoonover Stadium is set for 6 p.m.
