Kent State Baseball Splits Doubleheader at Miami

Friday, April 23

Oxford, OH

2:00 PM

Kent State University

15-17, 8-9

Miami University (OH)

18-13, 11-6

Kent State

Miami

Photo by: Gabby Kingston

Kent State Baseball Splits Doubleheader at Miami

4/23/2021 9:12:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

OXFORD, Ohio – Kent State split a double header at Miami on Friday afternoon, winning the first game, 3-2, and falling 1-0 in the nightcap.

GAME ONE: Kent State 3, Miami 2
Kent State jumped on Miami's starting pitcher, Grant Hartwig, in the top of the first inning with a Ben Carew sacrifice bunt that scored Kyle Jackson. The sac bunt gave the Golden Flashes a quick 1-0 lead, and the game would stay that way until the top of the fifth.

The Flashes' second run came via the long ball, as Carew launched one to left-center. Carew finished the series opener 1-for-3 with two RBIs. Luke Albright started the game and went five innings for Kent State, allowing just four hits and striking out seven. Miami did their damage in the bottom half of the fifth, tying the game on a two-RBI single by Will Vogelgesang.

Six Golden Flashes tallied hits in the game, none more crucial than Josh Mrozek's triple in the top of the eighth inning. His leadoff three-bagger allowed Collin Mathews to ground a ball to second base and score the go-ahead run. Matthews' extra-inning RBI proved to be the difference, as Jack Zimmerman shut down the RedHawks to secure the game one victory. Zimmerman allowed just one hit over the final three innings and struck out five.

GAME TWO: Miami 1, Kent State 0
Collin Romel had the best start of his Golden Flashes career, striking out six RedHawks without any walks and allowing one run on five hits over six innings.

Kent State was unable to provide the lefty with any run support, totaling four hits and going 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position.

Miami scored the game's only run in the bottom of the fifth inning. Parker Massman hit a double to start the frame, advanced to third on a sac bunt and then scored on a single by Billy Kopicki.

The Flashes' best scoring opportunity came in the top of the seventh. Ben Carew doubled and sprinted to third on a passed ball with just one out. A strikeout and fly ball to center field brought the game to an end.

Kent State moves to 15-18 on the season and 8-10 in the MAC. Miami is now 19-13 overall and 12-6 in conference play. The two teams will continue the four-game series tomorrow with a single, nine-inning game starting at 10 a.m.