Flashes Take Finale From NIU, 8-4

Sunday, March 21

1:00 PM

Kent State University

7-8, 0

Northern Illinois University

4-11, 0

Northern Illinois

Kent State

Photo by: Gabby Kingston

3/21/2021 4:08:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

KENT, OHIO- Max Rippl threw five solid innings and Michael Turner came a single short of the cycle as Kent State took Sunday's finale against Northern Illinois 8-4 at Schoonover Stadium.

Kent State scored in each of the first four innings and withstood a late-inning charge from the Huskies to secure the victory. With two outs in the first, Turner started a two-out rally with a triple off the left field wall. Justin Miknis followed with a triple of his own, scoring Turner and Mack Timbrook drove Miknis home with a double. The Flashes made it 3-0 in the second when Grant Vera put on a suicide squeeze and Kevin Dobos beat the throw and the tag at the plate. Turner struck again in the third, sending a towering fly ball over the right field wall, staking Rippl and the Flashes to a 4-0 lead.

The right hander made the lead stand up. Rippl went the first five innings, allowing one run and six hits. He did not walk a batter and struck out five, including the first four batters of the game and earned his second win of the season.

The heart of the Kent State order helped to put the game out of reach. Ben Carew hit a solo homer in the fourth and Miknis and Turner teamed up again for two more in the seventh. Turner drove home Ben Carew with a double to left center and Miknis drove home Turner with a run-scoring single.

Northern Illinois made its move in the eighth scoring three times. Ritchie Dell came on in relief and worked out of a two-on, one-out jam and worked a one-two-three ninth to earn his first save of the season.

The victory moves Kent State to 7-8 overall and 1-3 in the MAC. Northern Illinois drops to 4-11 overall and 3-1 in conference. Kent State wraps up its non-conference slate next weekend with the Dayton Flyers. It is a home-and-home series with Kent State hosting the back end with a Sunday double header. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.