Lane and Flashes Blank Gulf Coast

Sunday, February 23

Fort Myers, Florida

1:00 p.m.

Kent State University

4-3

Florida Gulf Coast University

1-6

Kent State

FGCU

Photo by: David Dermer

2/23/2020 3:37:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

FORT MYERS, FLORIDA- Ryan Lane threw eight and a third shutout innings and Kevin Dobos laced a pair of doubles leading the Flashes to a 4-0 victory over Florida Gulf Coast on Sunday.

Lane was absolutely brilliant in the series finale. The right-hander allowed just three hits, walked nobody and struck out 10. After a first inning double, Lane retired 16 in a row before a two-out double snapped the streak in the sixth. Lane minimized the damage off the two doubles, no Eagle got to third base on Sunday. Fort Myers native Max Rippl came on to get the final two outs, including a fitting game-ending strikeout.

Kent State got on the board in the third inning. Kevin Dobos hit a one-out double to left field. He didn't stay on second long as Eric Wentz kept his hot bat going, ripping a 1-0 pitch to left for a double of his own, scoring Dobos. After Wentz stole third, the outfielder was cut down at the plate after he broke for home on a Ben Carew grounder to first, ending the threat.

The Flashes added to their lead in the fifth and again in the seventh. In the fifth, Dobos struck for his second double of the day, scoring Collin Mathews, who had singled to start the inning. In the seventh, Dobos walked, Eric Wentz struck out, but reached first on a wild pitch that had kicked up the first base line. That extended the inning for Ben Carew, who laced a single to center field, bringing home Dobos. Kent State kept their foot on the gas pedal, inducing a throwing error on a double steal, Wentz would come into score, making it 4-0. That proved more than enough for the dominant Lane and Rippl.

The victory secured the series win for the Flashes who close their Florida trip at 4-3. Kent State heads back south next weekend, traveling to Rock Hill, South Carolina to take on the Winthrop Eagles. First pitch on Friday is set for 4 p.m.