Flashes Split Saturday Twin Bill

Saturday, May 1

1:00 PM

Kent State University

19-18, 0

Ohio University

20-15, 0

Ohio Bobcats

Kent State

Photo by: David Dermer

5/1/2021 6:21:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

KENT, OHIO- The Golden Flashes split their Saturday double header with the Ohio Bobcats, taking game one 10-4 before dropping game two 12-6 on a beautiful Saturday at Schoonover Stadium.

GAME ONE: Kent State 10 Ohio 4

The Golden Flashes' string of firsts continued in game one on Saturday. On Friday night, it was Eric Wentz' first collegiate home run that was the difference, in game one it was Sam Thompson's first homer of the year, part of a 3-3, three rbi day at the plate that served as a catalyst.

Ben Carew started the scoring with his fifth homer of the season, cracking a ball over the left field wall to start the second inning. After Ohio tied the game in the third, Thompson lined a two-run homer in the bottom half of the frame. Ohio see-sawed back in front in the fourth, using a pair of run-scoring singles to take a 4-3 lead. Kent State answered back yet again, loading the bases and tying the game on a bases-loaded walk to Kevin Dobos. That brought up Thompson, who seized the moment yet again, breaking the tie for good with a two-run single to put the Flashes up 5-3. The Flashes poured on insurance with a four-run fifth, highlighted by a Justin Miknis rbi double, followed by a Michael McNamara run-scoring triple.

Collin Romel went the first four-and-two thirds to get the win, while Trevor Pittman earned the save with two and a third innings of shutout, one-hit baseball.

GAME TWO: OHIO 12 Kent State 6

Ohio came back to take the night cap, breaking open a 4-4 game with three runs in the fifth and a five-run sixth. It spoiled a hot start for the Flashes who jumped ahead 1-0 in the first thanks to a triple by Eric Wentz and a Collin Mathews sacrifice fly. They added more in the second with Cam Touchette doubling off the wall that nearly scored two runs if not for a perfect Ohio relay that cut down Justin Miknis at the plate. Ohio rallied back to score the next four runs, buoyed by a pair of homers. Kent State tied it back at four on a bizarre sequence in the fourth. Justin Kirby hit a towering pop-up on the infield and the Ohio infield lost it in the swirling wind, a wild throw home allowed Jake Reifsnyder to score and for Kirby to end up on third. Ohio took the lead for good in the fifth on a Sebasitan Fabik home that struck the top of the right field foul pole. The Bobcats sent 10 to the plate in the sixth to score five insurance runs and secure the Saturday split.

The split moves Kent State to 19-19 on the season and 12-11 in the MAC, Ohio is now 21-15 and also 12-11 in conference play. The pivotal fourth and final game of the series is set for Sunday with a 1 p.m. first pitch.