Kent State University
13-4, 3-1
Central Michigan University
7-8, 1-3
Schoony Magic: Flashes Erase Six-Run Deficit in Ninth, Walk Off in 10th to Down Central Michigan 11-10
3/13/2026 7:01:00 PM | Baseball
KENT, Ohio — It wasn't pretty, and for a while it looked like it might not happen at all. But in the end, Schoonover Stadium delivered another dose of Schoony Magic on Friday afternoon, as the Kent State Golden Flashes rallied from six runs down in the bottom of the ninth inning and walked off Central Michigan 11-10 in ten innings to improve to 13-4 overall and 3-1 in MAC play.
The Flashes built an early lead behind home run power, with Kolton Schaller going deep to right center in the first and Nolan Belcher following with a two-run shot in the second to put Kent State ahead 3-1. Max Humphrey added a solo homer in the fifth to keep the Flashes ahead 4-3, a lead that held until a chaotic afternoon took a turn.
High winds had been howling all day at Schoonover Stadium, and in the seventh inning, they knocked out the power entirely. The Flashes didn't stop play as they kept right on going, finishing out the game without it. Whether it was the elements or something else, Central Michigan seemed to feed off the moment.
The Chippewas erupted for five runs in the seventh inning, highlighted by a Zach Knowlton RBI triple and a Harrison Bowman two-run double, to blow the game open at 8-4. Knowlton added his second home run of the day in the eighth to push the lead to 9-4, and Bryson Webb led off the ninth with another solo shot to make it 10-4. With three outs to go and a six-run deficit staring them down at Schoonover, the Flashes' chances looked bleak.
What happened next will be remembered for a while.
Nolan Belcher singled to start the ninth, and after Grady Mee reached on a hit by pitch, Sawyer Solitaria lined an RBI single through the left side to make it 10-5. Schaller followed with an RBI single to score Mee, and Brody Williams doubled home Solitaria to bring the Flashes to within three at 10-7. Then Ripken Reese stepped to the plate with two on and two out and launched a three-run home run down the right field line to tie the game at ten and send Schoonover Stadium into a frenzy.
With the game deadlocked heading to extras, Belcher led off the tenth with a double, and pinch runner Matt Thompson took his place on the bases. Max Humphrey followed with a single and a steal to put runners at second and third. After Grady Mee grounded out, Central Michigan intentionally walked Solitaria to load the bases. Schaller was then hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in Thompson and end it, giving the Flashes one of the more remarkable walk-off victories of the season.
Schaller led the offense, going 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBI, while Reese's three-run blast in the ninth was the turning point of the afternoon. Belcher finished 3-for-5 with two RBI and was on base to start both the ninth and tenth inning rallies. Humphrey chipped in two hits and an RBI. Peyton Williams earned the win with a clean tenth inning in relief, improving to 2-0 on the season.
The Flashes and Chippewas return to Schoonover Stadium for game two of the series on Saturday, March 14, at 3 p.m.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Williams, Peyton (2-0)
L: Max Hammond (0-2)
Batting:
2B: Harrison Bowman 1 ; Miguel Correa Jr. 1
3B: Zach Knowlton 1
HR: Brady Krzciok 1 ; Bryson Webb 1 ; Zach Knowlton 2 ; Spencer Verburg 1
RBI: Harrison Bowman 2 ; Brady Krzciok 2 ; Bryson Webb 1 ; Zach Knowlton 3 ; Spencer Verburg 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Harrison Bowman 1 ; Brady Krzciok 1 ; Bryson Webb 1 ; Miguel Correa Jr. 1 ; Zach Knowlton 3 ; Spencer Verburg 2 ; Drew Loikits 1
CS: Spencer Verburg 1
HBP: Harrison Bowman 1 ; Spencer Verburg 1
Batting:
2B: Williams, Brody 1 ; Covas, Alejandro 1 ; Reese, Ripken 1 ; Belcher, Nolan 1
HR: Schaller, Kolton 1 ; Reese, Ripken 1 ; Belcher, Nolan 1 ; Humphrey, Max 1
RBI: Solitaria, Sawyer 1 ; Schaller, Kolton 3 ; Williams, Brody 1 ; Reese, Ripken 3 ; Belcher, Nolan 2 ; Humphrey, Max 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Mee, Grady 1 ; Solitaria, Sawyer 1 ; Schaller, Kolton 2 ; Williams, Brody 1 ; Covas, Alejandro 1 ; Reese, Ripken 1 ; Belcher, Nolan 2 ; Thompson, Matt 1 ; Humphrey, Max 1
SB: Humphrey, Max 1
HBP: Mee, Grady 1 ; Schaller, Kolton 1 ; Williams, Brody 1
