Kent State University
13-14, 0
University of Toledo
9-20, 0
Late Rockets Rally Dooms Flashes
4/11/2021 5:48:00 PM | Baseball
KENT, OHIO- In a series filled with big innings and bigger comebacks, Sunday stayed true to form as a nine-run fifth for the Flashes was not enough as a late Toledo rally forced extra innings and an eventual 15-14 Rockets win at rainy Schoonover Stadium.
Kent State found themselves down 6-1 in the fifth thanks to six unanswered Toledo runs over the previous three innings. The Flashes had huge innings all weekend and Sunday's happened to be the fifth. After two singles and a force out started the inning, Nick Elsen crushed a moonshot home run to left that landed on the roof of the Edmonds hitting facility. The titanic blast made it 6-4 but things were just getting started. The next three batters reached and Ben Carew knocked in two with a single to tie the game. Kent State strung together three more singles and a walk to plate nine in the inning and lead 10-6. The Flashes added two unearned runs in the sixth to plate 11-straight runs and led 12-6 heading into the seventh.
Toledo began chipping away at the lead, a solo homer and two-run double in the seventh made it 12-9. In the bottom of the inning, Carew followed a Grant Vera triple with a double of his own to push the lead to four at 13-9. Toledo scored three more in the eighth and loaded the bases with two out, but Aidan Longwell induced a groundout to preserve the lead. Kent State added insurance in the bottom of the inning as Cam Touchette's fourth single in as many at-bats scored Collin Mathews to make it 14-12. Both Touchette and Mathews had four hits on the day.
Longwell got the first two batters out in the ninth, but an infield single and a double down the left field line scored a run and brought Jack Kartsonas into the game. Rain began to fall at Schoonover as Kartsonas induced a grounder to short but Vera slipped and the throw to first pulled Elsen off the base, the tying run scored and Kent State went in order in the ninth, sending the game to extra innings.
In the 10th, a pair of one-out singles put runners at first and second. A wild pitch proved pivotal, as the go-ahead run moved to third and scored on a sacrifice fly. Again the Flashes went in order in the 10th as the Toledo rally gave them the finale of the four-game set and three-of-four in the series.
Kent State now sits at 13-14 overall and 6-6 in the MAC. Toledo is now 9-20 and 7-9 in the MAC. Kent State travels to Mount Pleasant, Michigan next weekend for a four-game set with the Central Michigan Chippewas. First pitch on Friday is set for three.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: PIJASZEK, Kyle (1-0)
L: Kartsonas, Jack (1-3)
Batting:
2B: SERVELLO, John 1 ; MEYERS, Chris 2 ; HATFIELD, Trace 1 ; SCHWARTZENBERGER, Z. 1 ; STROTHER, Marcus 1
HR: MEYERS, Chris 1
RBI: WINTERSTEIN, Nicky 1 ; SERVELLO, John 1 ; MEYERS, Chris 5 ; HATFIELD, Trace 1 ; SYKES, Mason 2 ; STROTHER, Marcus 2
SF: WINTERSTEIN, Nicky 1
Base Running:
RUNS: WINTERSTEIN, Nicky 1 ; SERVELLO, John 3 ; MEYERS, Chris 3 ; HATFIELD, Trace 1 ; O'REILLY, Danny 1 ; SYKES, Mason 1 ; SCHWARTZENBERGER, Z. 1 ; STROTHER, Marcus 2 ; MACKIEWICZ, Scott 2
CS: MEYERS, Chris 1
Batting:
2B: Carew, Ben 1 ; Mathews, Collin 1
3B: Carew, Ben 1 ; Vera, Grant 1
HR: Elsen, Nick 1
RBI: Carew, Ben 3 ; Turner, Michael 1 ; Miknis, Justin 3 ; Touchette, Cam 2 ; Elsen, Nick 3
SF: Miknis, Justin 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Carew, Ben 2 ; Turner, Michael 2 ; Dobos, Kevin 1 ; Mathews, Collin 2 ; Miknis, Justin 1 ; Touchette, Cam 1 ; Elsen, Nick 1 ; McNamara, Michael 1 ; Kirby, Justin 1 ; Timbrook, Mack 1 ; Vera, Grant 1
SB: Turner, Michael 1 ; Mathews, Collin 2 ; Touchette, Cam 1
HBP: Carew, Ben 1
