Kent State University
13-15, 8-7
University of Toledo
15-17, 9-11
Flashes Storm Past Rockets in 10-6 Comeback
4/15/2022 4:23:00 PM | Baseball
TOLEDO, OHIO- Kent State blasted five homers, scored seven unanswered runs and Collin Romel tossed five-plus innings of shutout relief in a 10-6 comeback win over the Toledo Rockets on Friday afternoon.
The Flashes' five home runs highlighted a fourteen-hit onslaught against Toledo pitching. Five different Golden Flashes produced multi-hit games with Jake Casey and Mack Timbrook each posting three-hit games. For Casey, they were his first three collegiate base hits, highlighted by his first homer, a two-run shot that tied the game at six.
While the 10-run, 14-hit attack and seven unanswered grabs your attention, it was Collin Romel's five shutout innings of relief that stole the show and made the comeback possible. The senior lefty was sensational in relief of Richie Dell. Romel picked up his third win of the season, going 5.1 innings allowing just three hits and a walk, while striking out four.
Toledo jumped out early on Friday, scoring all six of their runs in the first three innings. Friday starter Richie Dell stranded five in the first three innings as the wind was howling out at Scott Park on Friday.
Kent State kept within striking distance in the early goings. Aidan Longwell hit a solo shot in the second and Jake Reifsnyder added a two-run blast in the third. At the end of three, it was 6-3 Toledo.
The Flashes' comeback started in the fourth with a two-out, run-scoring single from Timbrook, scoring Collin Mathews, who had struck a two-out double. After quiet fifth and sixth innings, the Flashes drew even in the seventh. Jake Casey demolished a 1-1 pitch well over the right field wall for his first college homer and knotted the game at six.
Four more crossed the plate in the eighth as Kent State put the game out of reach. Mike McNamara gave the Flashes their first lead of the day with a lead-off, solo homer. After a Justin Miknis single, Mathews got in on the act, crushing a two-run homer to left to make it 9-6. Casey put an exclamation point on his day with a run-scoring, two-out double to cap the scoring. Staked with a lead, Romel retired six of the next seven batters he faces, working around a lead-off double in the ninth to secure the win.
The victory moves Kent State to 13-15 overall and 8-7 in the MAC. Toledo falls to 15-17 overall and 9-11 in conference play. The two teams will meet tomorrow for a double header, first pitch for game one is set for noon.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Romel, Collin (3-4)
L: McANINCH, Cal (0-2)
Batting:
2B: Mathews, Collin 1 ; Casey, Jake 1
HR: Reifsnyder, Jake 1 ; McNamara, Michael 1 ; Longwell, Aidan 1 ; Mathews, Collin 1 ; Casey, Jake 1
RBI: Reifsnyder, Jake 2 ; McNamara, Michael 1 ; Longwell, Aidan 1 ; Mathews, Collin 2 ; Timbrook, Mack 1 ; Casey, Jake 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Reifsnyder, Jake 1 ; McNamara, Michael 1 ; Longwell, Aidan 1 ; Miknis, Justin 1 ; Mathews, Collin 2 ; Timbrook, Mack 1 ; Johnson, Josh 1 ; Casey, Jake 2
HBP: Miknis, Justin 1
Batting:
2B: WILLIAMS, Jeron 1 ; SERVELLO, John 1 ; FRY, Brian 1
HR: WILLIAMS, Jeron 1 ; PIKE, Garret 1
RBI: WILLIAMS, Jeron 4 ; PIKE, Garret 2
SH: FRY, Brian 1
Base Running:
RUNS: WILLIAMS, Jeron 2 ; PIKE, Garret 1 ; SYKES, Mason 1 ; DAVIS, Darryn 1 ; FRY, Brian 1
CS: SERVELLO, John 1 ; KONCZAK, Caden 1
HBP: DAVIS, Darryn 1
