Kent State Completes Series Victory Over #13 Tennessee with 9-5 Win

Sunday, February 22

Knoxville, TN

1 PM ET

Kent State University

5-2

University of Tennessee

5-2

Kent State

Tennessee

Kent State Completes Series Victory Over #13 Tennessee with 9-5 Win

2/22/2026 4:30:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Kent State baseball team captured a 9-5 victory over #13 Tennessee on Sunday afternoon at Lindsey Nelson Stadium, clinching their first series win over a ranked opponent in the Jeff Duncan Era and their first since 2012.

The Flashes (5-2) wasted no time getting on the board in the first inning. Grady Mee walked, stole second, and advanced to third on a passed ball. After Sawyer Solitaria struck out, Luke Matthews reached on a fielding error by Tennessee shortstop Manny Marin, allowing Mee to score the game's first run.

Tennessee (5-2) responded in the second inning when a pitch hit Levi Clark and eventually came around to score on a groundout by Stone Lawless that resulted in a double play, tying the game at 1-1. The Volunteers took the lead in the third when Jay Abernathy singled, advanced on a wild pitch, and scored on a Henry Ford single.

Kent State broke the game open with two runs in the fourth inning. Hunter Klotz doubled to left field, and Brody Williams walked. After a sacrifice bunt by Brady Marshall moved both runners into scoring position, Max Humphrey delivered a two-run double to right-center, giving the Flashes a 3-2 lead.

The Flashes extended their advantage to 6-2 in the fifth inning with three runs. Solitaria walked, and Matthews was hit by a pitch. Ripken Reese also walked to load the bases. Micah Rienstra-Kiracofe was then hit by a pitch, forcing in a run. Williams reached on a fielder's choice that scored Matthews, and Reese later scored on a throwing error by Tennessee catcher Stone Lawless.

Tennessee mounted a comeback in the bottom of the fifth, scoring three runs to cut the deficit to 6-5. Finley Bates singled, and Abernathy followed with another single. Ford singled to load the bases, and Blaine Brown hit a sacrifice fly to score Bates. After an error by Luke Matthews allowed Ford to score, making it 6-3, Jay Abernathy and Ford both scored on the throwing miscue.

Evan Holewin entered in relief of Ben Rabatin in the fifth inning and was stellar, allowing just two unearned runs over 4.2 innings while striking out three batters to earn the win.

Kent State added crucial insurance runs in the eighth inning. Mee singled, and a pitch hit Solitaria. Matthews was then hit by a pitch to load the bases. After Mee scored on a wild pitch, Reese walked to reload the bases. Rienstra-Kiracofe delivered a clutch two-run single to right field, extending the lead to 9-5.

Mee led the Flashes offense, going 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two stolen bases. Solitaria added a double and two runs, while Rienstra-Kiracofe finished with three RBIs. Humphrey contributed a key two-run double and went 1-for-4.

Ford paced Tennessee with a 3-for-4 performance, including a double and an RBI, while Abernathy went 2-for-4 with two runs scored.

The series victory marks Kent State's first over a ranked opponent in the Jeff Duncan Era and its first since 2012. The Flashes outscored the Volunteers 14-10 over the three-game series, taking two of three games in Knoxville.

Kent State will travel to play Wright State on Wednesday before returning home for its next series versus Rhode Island.

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