Golden Flashes Drop Series Finale at Northern Illinois, 5-2

Sunday, April 12

DeKalb, IL

1:00 PM ET

Kent State University

25-9, 13-5

Northern Illinois University

20-11, 12-6

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Kent St.	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	6	0
Northern Ill.	0	3	0	2	0	0	0	0	X	5	8	2

**The Kent State Golden Flashes baseball team gathers in a pregame huddle on the outfield grass at home, with players in navy and gold Under Armour uniforms raising their hands and fingers together in a unified team cheer. Visible jersey numbers include 32, 2, 42, 44, 14, and 25, with "Kent State" lettering across the backs of several players. A coach stands to the right holding a helmet as the group breaks together, with the outfield wall and scoreboard visible in the overcast background.**

Golden Flashes Drop Series Finale at Northern Illinois, 5-2

4/12/2026 7:42:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

DEKALB, Ill. — Kent State dropped the finale of its MAC series at Northern Illinois 5-2 Sunday afternoon at Ralph McKinzie Field, falling to 25-9 overall and 13-5 in MAC play.

The Golden Flashes were held scoreless through the first two innings before Northern Illinois broke through in the bottom of the second. Wyatt Wawro singled home a run, a pitch hit Kayden Jennings to force in another, and Charlie Parcell followed with an RBI single to give the Huskies a 3-0 lead after two frames.

Kent State answered in the third. Nolan Belcher walked and advanced to second on a wild pitch before Grady Mee singled to put runners at the corners. Luke Matthews grounded out to first, but the sacrifice was enough to score Belcher and pull the Flashes within 3-1. Mee then stole third and came home on a Brady Marshall single to make it 3-2.

The Huskies pushed the lead back to three in the fourth. Cole Smith singled home a run, and Wawro drew a bases-loaded walk to plate another, extending the NIU advantage to 5-2. Kent State managed just one hit over the final six innings against Carter Cox and Blake Gaskey and could not generate the offense needed to complete the comeback, leaving eight runners on base on the night.

Brody Williams was Kent State's most consistent presence at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a walk. Marshall added an RBI single and a walk, and Mee singled and scored. Ripken Reese and Micah Rienstra-Kiracofe each had one hit. Sawyer Solitaria went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts. Ben Rabatin was charged with the loss (4-1) after allowing five runs on seven hits and five walks over four innings.

Kent State is back in action Tuesday, April 14, at 3 p.m. at Mercyhurst before returning to MAC play.

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