Kent State University
1-0
Southeastern Louisiana University
0-1
16 hit afternoon lift Flashes to 11-2 victory over Southeastern Louisiana
2/14/2026 6:08:00 PM | Baseball
HAMMOND, La. – The Kent State baseball team continued its dominant opening weekend with an 11-2 victory over Southeastern Louisiana on Friday afternoon at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field.
The Flashes (2-0) collected 16 hits in the offensive outburst, with right fielder Sawyer Solitaria leading the way by going 4-for-5 with two runs scored. Catcher Brody Williams also had a monster day at the plate, going 2-for-5 with two home runs and three RBIs.
Kent State broke the game open early with a three-run second inning. After Hunter Klotz drew a walk, Nolan Belcher and Kolton Schaller added consecutive singles to load the bases. Grady Mee then cleared them all with a triple down the right field line, giving the Flashes a 3-0 lead.
The offense kept rolling in the third inning with three more runs. Micah Rienstra-Kiracofe doubled home Solitaria, and Klotz drove in Ripken Reese with a groundout. Belcher added an RBI double to extend the lead to 6-1.
Southeastern Louisiana (0-2) managed single runs in the second and fifth innings to briefly stay in the game. Peyton Woods drove in Alex Perry in the second, while Justin Williams doubled home Blaise Priester in the fifth.
Brody Williams gave Kent State some insurance with a solo home run to left-center in the seventh inning, making it 7-1.
The Flashes put the game away with a four-run ninth inning. Williams led off the frame with a two-run homer to left field, his second of the game. Reese followed immediately with a solo shot to left field. After Rienstra-Kiracofe walked and advanced on two wild pitches, Klotz singled him home to cap the scoring.
Easton Tumis earned the win for Kent State, tossing 5.1 innings while allowing just two runs on five hits with three strikeouts. Nick Guidas was stellar in relief, pitching 3.2 scoreless innings and allowing only one hit while striking out three.
Lakin Polk took the loss for the Lions, surrendering six runs on eight hits in three innings of work.
The Flashes will go for the series sweep on Sunday at 2 p.m. Eastern.
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Team Stats
Batting:
2B: Rienstra-Kiracofe, Micah 1 ; Belcher, Nolan 1
3B: Mee, Grady 1
HR: Williams, Brody 2 ; Reese, Ripken 1
RBI: Mee, Grady 3 ; Williams, Brody 3 ; Rienstra-Kiracofe, Micah 1 ; Klotz, Hunter 2 ; Reese, Ripken 1 ; Belcher, Nolan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Schaller, Kolton 1 ; Williams, Brody 2 ; Rienstra-Kiracofe, Micah 2 ; Klotz, Hunter 1 ; Solitaria, Sawyer 2 ; Reese, Ripken 2 ; Belcher, Nolan 1
Batting:
2B: Cuff, Connor 1 ; Williams, Justin 1 ; Watts, Dane 1 ; Perry, Alex 1
RBI: Williams, Justin 1 ; Woods, Peyton 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Priester, Blaise 1 ; Perry, Alex 1
HBP: Perry, Alex 1
