Kent State University
Baldwin Wallace University
Flashes Erupt for 16 Runs, Down Baldwin Wallace 16-7
3/31/2026 6:09:00 PM | Baseball
KENT, Ohio – Kent State baseball bounced back from a tough series loss with an emphatic 16-7 victory over Baldwin Wallace on Tuesday afternoon at Schoonover Stadium, improving to 20-7 on the season.
The Flashes never trailed after the first inning, scoring in six of the eight innings and sending the Yellow Jackets to nine different pitchers before the final out was recorded.
Baldwin Wallace struck first, plating two runs in the top of the first on an RBI double from Dennis Ritlinger-Nirider and a run-scoring single by Maddox Tarquino. Kent State answered immediately. Brody Williams crushed a three-run home run to left field in the bottom half, capping a two-out rally that also scored Micah Rienstra-Kiracofe and Sawyer Solitaria to put the Flashes in front for good.
The lead grew quickly from there. Nolan Belcher led off the second with a solo home run to left center, and Ripken Reese followed later in the frame with a two-run single to make it 6-2. Alejandro Covas, inserted into the lineup as a pinch hitter in the third, delivered the backbreaker — a three-run home run to right center that cleared the bases and pushed the lead to 9-3.
Kent State added a run in the fourth on a bases-loaded walk by Grady Mee, and another in the sixth on a Mee groundout, extending the cushion to 11-4 heading into the seventh.
Baldwin Wallace threatened to make things interesting, scoring three in the top of the seventh to pull within 11-7, but the Flashes responded with a five-run bottom half that put the game away for good. Solitaria's three-run double to right center highlighted the inning, and a Hunter Klotz double and another Mee walk with the bases loaded rounded out the scoring and pushed the final to 16-7.
Williams was the offensive catalyst, finishing 3-for-4 with three RBI, three runs scored, and a home run. Covas went 2-for-4 with three RBI after entering as a substitute. Mee added two hits and three RBI, Solitaria drove in three, and Reese contributed two RBI. Belcher finished 1-for-3 with a home run, a walk, and an RBI.
Parker Lind earned his first career win, tossing 1.2 scoreless innings in relief.
Kent State heads to Athens this weekend for a three-game MAC series at Ohio.
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