Flashes Split Saturday with Zips

Saturday, May 8

1:00 PM

Kent State University

20-21, 0

University of Akron

11-29, 0

AKRON ZIPS

Kent State

Photo by: David Dermer

5/8/2021 6:13:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

KENT, OHIO- The Golden Flashes starting pitching stole the show on Saturday, allowing just three earned runs over 13 innings as Kent State split with the Akron Zips on Saturday at Schoonover Stadium.

Both Luke Albright and Richie Dell were phenomenal on Saturday but Akron took game one 2-1 before the Flashes bounced back with a 10-2 win in the nightcap.

GAME ONE: AKRON 2 KENT STATE 1

The Flashes dropped game one and spoiled a terrific outing by Luke Albright.Game one started great for the Golden Flashes, Kyle Jackson singled on the first pitch of the inning and went to second on a Eric Wentz sacrifice bunt. Ben Carew wasted little time and rapped a grounder into left for a run-scoring single and Kent State was quickly up 1-0. It stayed that way until the fourth until Akron mimicked the Kent State first inning. Kaito Hara singled, was sacrificed over to second and scored on a single, tying the game at one.

Neither team sniffed a run until the sixth when Akron catcher Connor Regan hit a liner over the left field wall for a two-out, solo home run. The bottom of the sixth inning looked promising for Kent State as Wentz and Carew both reached to start the inning. Collin Mathews' attempted sacrifice led to a force at third on a great play by Akron's pitcher Conor Steinbaugh. Cam Touchette was then robbed of extra bases on a diving play in the outfield and Michael McNamara struck out to end the threat. The Flashes would get a runner on in the seventh, but nothing more as the Zips took game one.

The loss spoiled Albright's complete game, he allowed just four hits and the two runs while striking out seven. Steinbaugh got the win, allowing five hits and the one run, walking one and striking out five.

GAME TWO: KENT STATE 10 AKRON 2

The nightcap on Saturday got off to an ominous start. Akron strung together three hits and took advantage of an error to plate two runs and take an early lead on Richie Dell and the Golden Flashes. But the right hander settled in and allowed just two more hits over his next five innings and the Kent State offense went to work.

Kent State matched Akron's two in the first with two of their own. Eric Wentz worked a one-out walk and was pushed to third on a Carew double. Mathews followed with a single to score Wentz and Carew scored on a fielding error by Hara off the bat of Touchette. The Flashes broke it open with a four-run third. Carew, Mathews and Miknis all doubled in to the left field corner and McNamara added a single to left of his own. Kent State tallied five hits in the inning to make it 6-2. Two more scored in the fourth as Mathews and Touchette both doubled home runs to make it 8-2. Kent State slugged six doubles in game two as part of a twelve-hit attack. Miknis added some insurance in the fifth with a two-run single, which was more than enough for Richie Dell.

Dell settled in beautifully after the first inning, allowing just two Zips to reach second base after the first inning. The righty earned his second win of the year allowing the five hits, one earned run and striking out five against two walks. Ryan Kircher made his 2021 debut in the seventh and worked a clean seventh and recording a strikeout.

The split keeps the Golden Flashes' record at .500 as they are now 21-21 and 14-13 in the MAC. Akron is now 11-30 and 5-26 in conference play. The teams will get tomorrow off on account of impending rain. The teams will wrap up the four-game set on Monday, first pitch is set for 1 p.m.