Kent State University
11-3, 0
Northern Illinois
3-12, 0
Flashes Storm Back to Sweep Huskies
3/12/2023 4:27:00 PM | Baseball
KENT- Kent State erupted for a seven-run eighth and stormed back for a 16-10 victory of Northern Illinois, securing a series sweep of the Huskies.
The victory runs the Flashes' win streak to nine and closes a ridiculous offensive week for the Flashes. Kent State scored 62 runs in the four home games this week against Youngstown State and Northern Illinois pitching.
The Flashes were playing catch up from the jump on Sunday as the Huskies put up a crooked number in the first for the second-straight game. NIU struck for three in the first only to see the Flashes answer with three of their own in the bottom half of the inning. The Huskies' offense got off to a torrid start, scoring in each of the first five innings and holding a 10-6 lead at the midway point of the game.
But Jordan Kolenda came in and threw three innings of nine up, nine down baseball to stem the tide and allow for the Flashes' comeback. It started in the bottom half of the fifth as Mike McNamara homered for the second-straight day, a two-run shot to left to make it 10-8. Kent State would make it 10-9 later in the inning off a Josh Johnson sacrifice fly.
It would stay 10-9 until the eighth. Kyle Jackson and Collin Mathews each walked to start the inning, Aidan Longwell then singled to score Jackson and tie the game. A Justin Miknis sacrifice fly scored the game-winning run, but the Flashes were just getting started. Johnson delivered a clutch two-run bases-loaded single and Josh Mrozek unloaded on a pinch-hit, three-run homer that crashed off the scoreboard in right to put an exclamation point on the comeback.
Mitchell Scott worked a perfect ninth with a pair of strikeouts as Kent State sent the final 12 Huskies down in order on Sunday. The win runs Kent State's record to 11-3 overall and 3-0 in MAC play while NIU is now 3-12 and 0-3 in conference. Kent State is back in action for a mid-week game against Lake Erie College that has been moved to Wednesday, first pitch is at 3 p.m..
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Kolenda, Jordan (2-0)
L: DRAEGER, Jacob (0-1)
Batting:
2B: DEMETRAL, Andre 1 ; SUMMERHILL, Colin 2 ; KOSOBUCKI, Kaden 1
3B: SMART, Andrew 1
RBI: ERATO, Eric 1 ; DEMETRAL, Andre 1 ; HARPER, Aaron 1 ; SUMMERHILL, Colin 2 ; SMART, Andrew 2 ; SEEGERS, Christian 1
SH: SEEGERS, Christian 1
SF: SUMMERHILL, Colin 1
Base Running:
RUNS: ERATO, Eric 2 ; DEMETRAL, Andre 2 ; SUMMERHILL, Colin 2 ; PETERS, Malik 1 ; SMART, Andrew 2 ; KOSOBUCKI, Kaden 1
SB: ERATO, Eric 1
PO: ERATO, Eric 1
Batting:
2B: Longwell, Aidan 1
3B: Miknis, Justin 1
HR: McNamara, Michael 1 ; Mrozek, Josh 1
RBI: Longwell, Aidan 2 ; Miknis, Justin 3 ; McNamara, Michael 2 ; Johnson, Josh 3 ; Mrozek, Josh 3
SF: Miknis, Justin 1 ; Johnson, Josh 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jackson, Kyle 2 ; Mathews, Collin 2 ; Longwell, Aidan 3 ; Miknis, Justin 2 ; McNamara, Michael 2 ; Timbrook, Mack 2 ; Casey, Jake 1 ; Johnson, Josh 1 ; Mrozek, Josh 1
SB: Jackson, Kyle 1 ; McNamara, Michael 1 ; Casey, Jake 3 ; Johnson, Josh 1
HBP: Timbrook, Mack 1
