Flashes Walk-Off Falcons to Take Opener

Friday, April 26

Kent, OH

6:00 PM

Kent State University

21-19, 11-8

Bowling Green

22-13, 17-2

BOWLING GREEN

Kent State Baseball

4/26/2024 9:29:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

KENT- Mike McNamara sent a double into the left field corner, scoring Brody Williams and walking off the first-place Bowling Green Falcons 6-5 in front of a sold out Schoonover Stadium on Friday night.

The back-and-forth game saw three ties and four lead changes and an atmosphere that felt more of playoff baseball than a regular-season affair in late April. The Flashes struck in the first inning with Josh Johnson scoring from second on a Brody Williams' infield single. The high-octane Falcons answered back with the next three, but Ciaran Caughey limited the damage in the third, getting out of a bases-loaded, nobody out jam with only two scoring. Williams struck again in the third, doubling home Kyle Jackson, the Flashes would have been on the verge of a big inning, but two stellar plays by the Falcons cut down two would-be runs at the plate.

Kent State took back the lead in the fourth, using a walk and a pair of singles to plate two run and lead 4-3. The lead didn't last long as Bowling Green tied things in the fifth, it'd stay that way until the seventh when Bowling Green pushed across the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly. Peyton Cariaco limited that damage to the lone run, which proved critical down the stretch. In the eighth, the Flashes got some two-out lightning from the bottom of the order. Peyton Ebbing single and Bo Shinkle was hit by a pitch. Ripken Reese then hit a worm burner that snuck into the outfield, plating Ebbing and knotting the game at five.

Cariaco quieted the bats in the eighth and the ninth, setting up the bottom of the ninth drama. Williams again got things rolling with a one-out single, his third knock of the game, Kibler worked a four-pitch walk, setting up McNamara. The senior took a 1-2 pitch into the corner to set up the dog pile in left field.

The win pushes Kent State to 21-19 overall and 11-8 in the MAC, Bowling Green is now 22-13 and 17-2 in MAC play. The two teams will square off again tomorrow, first pitch is set for 3 p.m.