Flashes and Chippewas Split Friday Twin Bill

Friday, March 24

Mount Pleasant, MI

Noon

Kent State University

16-4, 4-0

Central Michigan

11-9, 2-2

KENT STATE

Central Michigan

Photo by: David Dermer

Flashes and Chippewas Split Friday Twin Bill

3/24/2023 8:28:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

MT Pleasant, MI- Kent State and Central Michigan split their double header on Friday afternoon, the Flashes took game one 4-3 in 12 innings with the Chippewas taking the nightcap 11-4.

GAME ONE | Kent State 4 Central Michigan 3 | 12 Innings

The Golden Flashes struck first in game one. Ben Cruikshank worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the first and the Flashes used that momentum to score in the second. Justin Miknis and Michael McNamara both singled to start the inning and Miknis came into score on a run-scoring groundout from Mack Timbrook.

Central Michigan took the lead in the third on a two-run double from catcher Nick Dardas. The Golden Flashes' defense excelled in game one, cutting down aggressive baserunners and turning double plays. Collin Mathews turned a flyout into a double play to end the third.

Central would go up 3-1 in the fourth and it would stay that way until the seventh. A Josh Johnson walk ended Adam Mraktisch's day. Brody Williams greeted Ryan Palmblad with his second homer of the year, a two-run shot to left to tie the game at two.

It would stay that way until the 12^th. The Kent State bullpen was outstanding in game one, pitching the final 6 2/3 innings and shutting out the Chippewas. Mitch Scott stranded runners in the eighth and Scott and Benny Roebuck got out of a bases-loaded jam in the 10^th. In the decisive 12^th, it was Williams again who got things started with a single. A sacrifice and a groundout got him to third and Mathews brought him home with a single. Roebuck struck out the side in the 12^th to secure the victory.

GAME TWO| Central Michigan 11 Kent State 4

Game two was a back-and-forth affair until a seven-run sixth by the Chippewas broke the game open. The Flashes had answered a pair of early runs in the nightcap with single tallies in the fifth and again in the sixth.

Brody Williams continued his big Friday with a double to deep right to plate Josh Johnson in the fifth and halve the Chippewa lead. An inning later, Mack Timbrook executed a safety squeeze to plate Aidan Longwell and tied things at two.

Walks and errors cost the Flashes in the sixth. Four free passes and a pair of miscues prolonged the inning and a pair of bases loaded hits put Central Michigan ahead for good.

Longwell did hit safely in both games on Friday, extending his hitting streak to 19 straight games.

The split puts the Flashes at 16-6 overall and 4-1 in the MAC. Central Michigan now sits at 12-9 overall and 3-2 in conference play. Weather forced today's double header, the rubber match of the series is still set for Sunday with a 1 p.m. first pitch.