Kent State University
Liberty University
Flashes Head to Liberty for Three-Game Set
3/5/2020 3:30:00 PM | Baseball
LYNCHBURG, VA- Kent State will continue to head south this weekend, meeting up with their second A-Sun opponent of the year when they take on Liberty in a three-game series.
The Golden Flashes are getting familiar with the A-Sun, having taken two-of-three from Florida Gulf Coast earlier this season. The Flames are the defending A-Sun tournament champions and are coming off a 41-win season in 2019.
Both teams are coming off rough midweek games. Kent State managed just four base runners in an 8-0 loss to West Virginia. Liberty was one-hit in an 11-0 loss to East Carolina.
ABOUT KENT STATE
The Flashes enter the weekend at 6-5 on the season. They come into the weekend hitting .243 as a team, good for middle of the pack in the Mid-American Conference. The Flashes pitches has been stellar, leading the conference with a 3.22 earned run average. They are the only team in the MAC with an ERA under four.
CAREWs-CONTROL
Ben Carew has been the offensive leader for Kent State this season, having hit 10-game hit streak snapped versus West Virginia. The outfield has hit safely in 29 of his last 31 games dating back to last season. His eight doubles lead the NCAA and are two more than anyone else in the MAC.
NO FREEBIES
The Flashes own a 4:1 strike out to walk ratio amongst their pitching staff, one of the top numbers in the conference. Sunday's probable starter Ryan Lane is leading that charge, striking out 17 this season against one walk in 19 innings of work.
ABOUT THE FLAMES
Liberty was picked as the pre-season favorite in the A-SUN in the annual coaches' poll. Liberty is off to a strong start this season, despite the struggles of two pre-season all-conference players. Second baseman Will Wagner was a unanimous pre-season all-conference selection but has gone just 1-for-12 to start the season and has been limited to just four games. Outfielder Grey Betts was an all-freshman selection in 2019 after hitting over .300, but has been slow out of the gate, hitting just over .100 this season. It has been Ben Highfill that has led the Flames' offense, leading the squad in hits, runs, homers and runs driven in.
WEEKEND PITCHING MATCHUPS
Friday
Kent State: Luke Albright (RHP, 1-2 2.12) vs Mason Meyer (LHP, 1-2 3.07)
Albright is coming off a six-inning shutout performance against Winthrop last Friday night. Albright scattered eight hits and struck out six and earned his first win of the season. He won the MAC Pitcher of the Week for his efforts.
Meyer also won his first game of the year in his last start, striking out seven in a win over Marist. Meyer struck out seven in five innings of work and has not worked past the sixth in any start so far this season.
Saturday
Kent State: Colin Romel (LHP, 1-0 1.98) vs Noah Skirrow (RHP, 1-1, 1.53)
Romel allowed four unearned runs in his last outing at Winthrop but struck out six over four and two thirds innings. The lefty has struck out six in each of his last two outings and has not allowed an earned run since his first start of the season.
Skirrow is coming off a year where he was one of the better power arms in the A-Sun, averaging over 11 strikeouts per nine innings. In his last start, he allowed two earned runs, but no hits, walking six and striking out five in five innings of work.
Sunday
Kent State: Ryan Lane (RHP, 2-0, 2.37) vs Joe Adametz III (LHP, 0-1 2.30)
Lane has worked at least five innings in each of his three starts this season. Last Sunday, he worked into the sixth, allowing two runs on 10 hits and striking out three against one walk. He owns a 17:1 strike out to walk ratio so far this season.
Adametz is coming off his best start of the season, working six shutout innings but getting a no decision against Marist. The southpaw allowed six hits and struck out six. He is averaging just under a strike out an inning but has allowed 19 hits in 15 innings of work.
FOLLOW ALONG
Friday's game can be seen on ESPN + with Adam York and Andrew Yacyk on the call. Friday's game will be the only game that will be a video stream, there will be a radio broadcast and live stats for all three games.
LOOKING AHEAD
Kent State heads to the Windy City next weekend for a three game set at Northwestern. The first game is set for Friday, with a 4 p.m. eastern first pitch.
