Kent State University
Ball State
Flashes Bringing Championship Pedigree to the MAC Tournament
5/21/2025 4:00:00 PM | Baseball
KENT- The Co-Regular Season Champion Kent State Golden Flashes Baseball team will head up to Avon, Ohio for the Mid-American Conference Baseball Tournament.
The Flashes enter Avon as the two seed and will have a bye through the first round. Kent State will begin tournament play on Thursday evening at 6 p.m. as they will take on the highest seeded winner from Wednesday's first round matchups.
The Mid-American Conference will stream the entire tournament on ESPN+, all the Kent State games will air on the Kent State Digital Network via KentStateSports.com and the Flashes App. Links to watch, listen and follow along will be available on the baseball schedule page. For fans looking to purchase tickets, please click the link at the top of the page, the Mid-American Conference will have day and tourney passes available.Â
About The Flashes
Kent State secured their seventeenth MAC regular season title after taking down Eastern Michigan 13-2 in seven innings on Sunday. It's the Flashes second regular season title in three years and fifth under the leadership of head coach Jeff Duncan. Kent State is also seeking their first tournament title and automatic bid to the NCAA tournament since 2018.
Kent State finished the season at 37-16 overall and 23-7 in conference play only dropping one MAC series and sweeping four.
The Flashes feature not only one of the deepest lineups in the Mid-American
Conference but in all of Division 1 Baseball. The Flashes lead the MAC in a quite a few offensive categories including batting average (.316), runs scored (519), hits (562), doubles (126), triples (28), runs batted in (476), total bases (960), slugging percentage (.541), on base percentage (.434), and hit by pitches (111).
Kent State is showcasing their elite speed on the base paths in 2025
stealing 126 bases through 53 games. That is good for 14th in the country and is top of the Mid-American conference. The Flashes' 126 stolen bases is the second highest mark in single season program history behind 142 stolen bases in 1983.
Six Flashes took home an All-Conference honor, including two specialty awards. Third baseman, Hayden Jatczak, was named the MAC Player of the Year and Designated Hitter Sawyer Solitaira took home Freshman of the Year. Outfielder Jake Casey, starting pitcher Jacob Bean join Jatczak and Solitaira on the first team. Luke Matthews was named second-team all-conference at second base while Hunter Klotz earns all-defensive team honors.
Jatczak became just the seventh Golden Flash to earn Player of the Year honors and the first since George Roberts in 2012. The grad student slashed .384/.494/.768 on the season while leading the MAC in runs (75), Runs Batted In (78), and lead all of Division 1 baseball with 28 doubles. Jatczak's 75 runs in a Kent State single season program record passing John VanBenschoten's 74 runs in 2001.
Solitaira is the fifth Golden Flash to win Freshman of the Year honors and is the first since Justin Kirby in 2019. Solitaria played and started in 51 games for the Flashes hitting .317 in the cleanup spot providing 61 RBIs, on 60 hits, 52 runs scored, and stolen bases (20). The Freshman saw time in the field at left field, third base, first base, and designated hitter.
Tournament Schedule
Wednesday, May 21st Â
Game 1 - No. 3 Ball State vs. No. 6 Eastern Michigan (12:30 pm ET)
Game 2 - No. 4 Bowling Green vs. No. 5 Toledo (6:00 pm ET)
Thursday, May 22nd Â
Game 3 - Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser (10:00 am ET)
Game 4 - No. 1 Miami vs. TBA* (2:00 pm ET)
Game 5 - No. 2 Kent State vs. TBA* (6:00 pm ET)
Friday, May 23rd
Game 6 - Game 3 Winner vs. Game 4 or 5 Loser# (10:00 am ET)
Game 7 - Game 6 Winner vs. Game 4 or 5 Loser# (2:00 pm ET)
Game 8 - Game 4 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner (6:00 pm ET)
Saturday, May 24th Â
Game 9 - Game 7 Winner vs. Game 8 Loser (12:30 pm ET)
Game 10 - Championship Game (6:00 pm ET)
Sunday, May 25th Â
Game 11 (if necessary.) - Replay of G10, (Noon ET)
Follow Kent State BaseballÂ
For complete coverage of Kent State Athletics, download the official Kent State Golden Flashes app (iOS, Android) and follow the Golden Flashes on social media on X, Instagram , and Facebook for news and updates.
