Flashes Split Twin Bill on Military Appreciation Day

Saturday, April 23

1:00 PM

Kent State University

13-20, 0

Miami University (OH) (7 Innings)

17-21, 0

MIAMI OH

Kent State

Flashes Split Twin Bill on Military Appreciation Day

4/23/2022 8:21:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

KENT, OHIO- Kent State split a pair of back-and-forth games on Saturday with the Miami RedHawks, dropping game one 4-3 before taking game two 10-9 in ten innings on a Josh Johnson walk-off base hit.

GAME ONE: MIAMI 4 KENT STATE 3

The RedHawks scored two in the sixth and two more in the seventh to comeback and steal game on Saturday.

Kent State scored three runs, all with two out in the second inning. Mack Timbrook started the rally with a walk, Josh Johnson singled on a 3-2 pitch. Timbrook, going on the play, managed to score all the way from first as the throw home was wide of the mark. Collin Mathews got hit by a pitch and a infield single by Connor Ashby drew an errant throw to bring home the second run. A double steal between Mathews and Ashby put the crooked number on the board.

It stayed 3-0 into the sixth where a Nick Neibauer two-run homer made it a one-run game and ended starter Ben Cruikshank's day. Cruikshank went five innings allowing the two runs on four hits while striking out three. In the seventh, back-to-back doubles to lead off the inning tied the game at three. Justin Miknis then picked off Parker Lester. A fielding error allowed the go-ahead runner to reach and a wall-scraping triple by Brian Zapp brought home the go-ahead run. The Flashes couldn't find the equalizer in the seventh, giving Miami game one.

GAME TWO: KENT STATE 10 MIAMI 9 (10 INNINGS)

The Flashes scored in each of the first four innings in game number two. Kyle Jackson led off reaching on a drop third strike and scored on a Michael McNamara groundout. In the second, Mathews brought home Johnson on a sac fly that was caught by the shortstop in short left field. Kent State sent all nine batters to the plate in the third, striking for four runs. A McNamara double plated one, a Johnson single brought home two and Aidan Longwell's single brought home Johnson. The Flashes built a four-run lead on another McNamara groundout in the fourth to lead it 7-3.

Peyton Cariaco pitched into the seventh and settled in after allowing two first-inning runs. His line was skewed by a two-run homer in the sixth to make it 7-5 but he allowed four earned runs and struck out seven against no walks in 6.2 innings. Miami rallied to tie it in the eighth, scrapping together four singles to score three times and tie the game at eight. In the ninth, Miami loaded the bases with nobody out. A sac fly to the warning track gave Miami a 9-8 lead but a diving catch by Sam Thompson on a foul bunt and a routine liner to short ended the inning with only one run scoring.

In the home half of the ninth, Justin Kirby walked, Longwell singled and moved him to third. Miami elected to play the infield back, allowing a Thompson grounder to short to score Kirby and tie the game. The RedHawks went in order in the 10^th and the Flashes promptly loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning, thanks to two hit batters and a single. Johnson then hit a liner to center over the drawn in outfield and sent the Flashes home a 10-9 winner.

The split leaves Kent State at 14-20 overall and 9-12 in the MAC. The two teams will wrap the weekend on Sunday with a 1 p.m. first pitch.