Flashes Out Duel Colonels in Opening Day Win

Friday, February 14

Mobile, AL

1:00 PM

Kent State University

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Eastern Kentucky

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Eastern Kentucky

Kent State

Photo by: Bobby McDuffie

Flashes Out Duel Colonels in Opening Day Win

2/14/2025 4:27:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

MOBILE- The Kent State Golden Flashes took down the Eastern Kentucky Colonels 4-2 in the 2025 season opener. This is the first opening day win for the Flashes since they took down Sam Houston State in 2018.

Gavin Jones got the start for the Flashes and after allowing a run in the first inning. After that the right-hander settled in quite nicely pitching another four clean innings striking out a total of five Colonels.

The Flashes took the lead in the bottom of the fourth and never looked back. Hayden Jatczak started off the inning with a double to right center and then was brought home just two pitches later when Jake Casey tripled to center. Casey would come in to score on a wild pitch to give Kent State a 2-1 lead.

The Flashes would extend their lead thanks to a pair of Luke Matthews sacrifice flies, one in the sixth to bring in Dom Kibler and one in the eighth to bring in Jatczak.

The duo of Benny Roebuck and Peyton Cariaco closed out the game for the Flashes. Roebuck entered the game in the sixth inning and pitched 2.1 innings allowing just two hits before turning the ball over to Cariaco who pitched the final 1.2 innings allowing just one run and earning his first save of the season.

Casey and Jatczak both recorded multi-hit day for the Flashes recording two and three respectively. In his Flashes debut Jatczak went 3-4 with two doubles and two runs scored. Also making their Kent State debuts were Micah Rienstra-Kiracofe, Luke Matthews, Sawyer Solitaria, and Max Humphrey. Rienstra-Kiracofe and Solitaria both recorded the first hits of their collegiate careers.

Kent State is back in action Saturday night to face off against the South Alabama Jaguars. First pitch is set for 7:30 p.m. EST.

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