Flashes Can't Weather Hurricanes

Wednesday, February 19

Coral Gables, FL

6:00 p.m.

Kent State University

2-2

University of Miami

4-0

Kent State

Miami (FL)

Photo by: David Dermer

2/19/2020 9:06:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

CORAL GABLES, FL- Grant Vera had a pair of base hits and reached safely three times but Miami jumped out on Kent State early and the number one team in the nation knocked off the Golden Flashes 12-0 on Wednesday night at Alex Rodriguez Field.

Vera had a pair of singles and a hit-by-pitch to lead the offense. Ben Carew continued his hot start to the season with a hit as did Alex Ronnebaum. The Flashes bullpen hunkered down late, throwing three scoreless innings to close out Wednesday.

Miami took advantage of a "fourth out" in the bottom of the first inning. After getting the first two out courtesy of a strike out and a caught stealing, a tough bounce on a shot to third base extended the inning. Alex Toral connected on an 0-2 curve ball from Zach Schultz, depositing it beyond the right-center wall to make it 3-0 Hurricanes in the first. The senior right-hander worked the first two innings on Wednesday, allowing those three unearned runs and striking out two.

The Flashes had runners in scoring position in the first and third innings. Ben Carew would single in the first and get pushed to second on a Michael Turner walk and Grant Vera singled and reached second in the third, but both would be stranded there. Miami would break the game open in the third, batting around and scoring seven times, highlighted by a Tony Jenkins three run homer. Miami would tack on two more in the fourth before the Kent State bullpen started rolling. Max Rippl worked a scoreless frame while Richie Dell made a stellar collegiate debut with a pair of strikeouts in a scoreless inning. Jarrett Smetana followed suit in the eighth striking out a pair as well.

Kent State threatened again in the eighth inning. The Flashes loaded the bases in the eighth on a hit by pitch, walk and fielder's choice. Michael Turner hit a line drive into left and Vera was nabbed at the plate on a strong throw by Chad Crosbie.

Miami improved to 4-0 on the season and will host Florida this weekend in a top-10 matchup. Kent State will travel up the west coast of Florida to take on Florida Gulf Coast on Friday to start a three-game set. First pitch from Fort Myers is set for 6:30 p.m. on Friday night.