Flashes Complete the Sweep of the Bobcats

Sunday, April 30

Kent, Ohio

1:00 PM

Kent State University

31-12, 0

Ohio

16-23, 0

Ohio University

Kent State Baseball

Photo by: David Dermer

4/30/2023 4:15:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

KENT-Kent State used a six-run first inning to propel the Golden Flashes to a three-game sweep of the Ohio Bobcats with a 7-5 victory on Sunday afternoon at Schoonover Stadium.

The Flashes batted around in the first inning, knocking Ohio starter Luke Olson from the game after only two-thirds of an inning. Collin Mathews got things started with a lead-off double and immediately stole third and scored on a Justin Miknis single. Aidan Longwell followed with the first of his two homers on the day, a moonshot to right to make it 3-0. Three batters later, Kolton Schaller ended Olson's day with a two-run homer of his own, clanging it off the light tower in right field.

But Ohio would not go quietly into the Sunday night, battling back with three runs in the third and solo tallies in the third and the fourth, making it a 7-5 contest.

For as crazy as the game started, the bullpen's quickly quieted the game down. Braxton Kelly allowed a run-scoring single to Jake Casey and a solo homer to Longwell in 2.2 innings of work before Jacob Tate tossed five scoreless for the Bobcats the rest of the way.

For the Flashes, Benny Roebuck allowed an unearned run in his 2.2 innings of relief of starter Eric Chalus, striking out a pair. Calvin Bickerstaff got the biggest out of the game, a strikeout of AJ Rausch in the fifth to leave the bases loaded and worked a pair of shutout innings. Jordan Kolenda retired all four batters he faced, before turning things over to Mitch Scott, who worked a clean ninth for his 12^th save in 13 chances.

The win completes the sweep of the Bobcats and moves Kent State to 31-12 on the year, 19-1 at Schoonover Stadium and 16-5 in MAC play. Ohio drops to 16-23 overall and is now three in back of the Golden Flashes at 13-8 in conference. The Flashes will head north to Ann Arbor on Tuesdaay for a tilt with the Michigan Wolverines. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.