Kent State University
Jacksonville State
Southern Swing Wraps with Jacksonville State Series
2/29/2024 2:17:00 PM | Baseball
JACKSONVILLE, AL- The Golden Flashes wrap their southern swing this weekend as they take on the Jacksonville State Gamecocks in a three-game series.
The Flashes and Gamecocks will meet for the first time and both are looking to snap losing streaks. Kent State dropped a 12-11 heartbreaker on Wednesday night at Troy. Jacksonville State dropped its finale against South Alabama and the mid-week at Kennesaw State.
Kent State's bats erupted against the Trojans, led by freshman Dom Kibler and graduate student Tim Orr. Kibler leads the squad in average and hit his first homer on Wednesday night. The Wisconsin native has seven driven in through six starts this year. Orr cracked two homers in Wednesday's loss and leads the team in runs, homers and rbi through his eight starts, splitting time between first base and left field.
Jacksonville is 3-5 on the season and 2-2 in their home ballpark. The Gamecocks were picked seventh in the Conference USA pre-season poll after going 27-30 and 18-12 in conference last season. Derrick Jackson Jr was named pre-season all conference and he's second on the team in RBI behind Caleb Johnson, who leads the team in homers and RBI.
The weekend series will see Jack Kartsonas get the ball for the Flashes against freshman lefty Colin Woodham. Saturday's game will have lefty Eric Chalus get the ball for Kent State against righty Jackson Sleeper. Sunday's finale has a TBA starter for the Flashes against righty Austin Cornelius.
Friday night's game and Sunday afternoon's contests will stream on ESPN+ and Jacksonville State radio. Saturday's game will have no stream and live stats will be available all weekend.
The series will wrap the road portion of the non-conference weekends. The Flashes open up the home schedule on Tuesday, welcoming in the Tiffin Dragons. First pitch from Schoonover is set for 4 p.m.
