Kent State University
Jacksonville
Flashes Tabbed Third in Pre-Season Poll, Open Season in Jacksonville
2/15/2023 11:04:00 AM | Baseball
KENT- The Golden Flashes were picked third and received a first place and tournament champion vote in the Mid-American Conference's pre-season coaches' poll.
The Flashes tallied 96 poll points, trailing only 2022 regular-season champion Ball State and 2022 tournament champion Central Michigan. Toledo and Miami each picked up a first-place vote to finish fourth and fifth in the poll, respectfully. The top-four teams in the conference will reach the conference tournament and will be hosted by the regular-season champion.
The Mid-American Conference is returning to three-game series this season for a total of 30 conference games. The last two seasons, the league had played four-game series with a doubleheader on Saturday.
Four Golden Flashes earned pre-season accolades from D1Baseball.com in their pre-season national positional rankings. Michael McNamara was ranked the #25 shortstop (second in the MAC), Justin Miknis was ranked #30 at catcher (second in the MAC), Josh Johnson was ranked #81 and Collin Mathews #85 in the outfield (fourth and fifth in the MAC). Aidan Longwell also earned a pre-season first-team all-conference nod at first base from Perfect Game
The Golden Flashes open up the 2023 season on the road in Jacksonville to take on the Dolphins. It will be the first ever match-up between the two squads. The Golden Flashes return eight regulars to their starting lineup this year, including 78 percent of their total at-bats. Kent State returns 77 percent of their homers (62 of 81), 78 percent of their hits (418 of 530), 78 percent of their runs batted in (269 of 345) and 83 percent of their runs (312 of 374).
On the mound, the Flashes get a boost from Jack Kartsonas and Benny Roebuck returning from injury as well as transfers Joe Whitman (Purdue) and Mitchell Scott (Cal). The Flashes return 83 percent of their starts (44 of 53), 69 percent of innings (303 of 444) and 69 percent of strikeouts (276 of 398).
Jacksonville is coming off aa 27-28 season in 2022 and picked ninth in the Atlantic Sun pre-season poll. Relief pitcher Bryce Fisher was named to the pre-season all-conference team. The Dolphins will have to replace Christian Coipel who led the team with 13 homers and 48 runs batted in last season. In addition to Fisher, Christian Graham is one of the top returning arms, he held batters to a .194 average over 57 innings last year.
The three-game set gets underway with a 6 p.m. first pitch on Friday followed by a 2 p.m. start on Saturday and noon start on Sunday. Links to watch, listen and follow along are on the baseball schedule page. The Flashes will stay on the road next weekend, heading to South Carolina to face the Wofford Terriers. First pitch on Friday night is also set for 6 p.m.
