Golden Flashes Take Series With 8-5 Win Over Ball State

Sunday, April 19

Kent, Ohio

1 PM ET

Kent State University

28-10, 15-6

Ball State University

19-20, 13-8

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Ball St.	0	2	0	1	0	0	1	0	1	5	6	0
Kent St.	0	5	1	1	0	0	0	1	X	8	11	1

Golden Flashes Take Series With 8-5 Win Over Ball State

4/19/2026 4:35:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

KENT, Ohio — Kent State claimed the series victory over Ball State with an 8-5 win Sunday afternoon at Schoonover Stadium, improving to 28-10 overall and 15-6 in MAC play behind a five-run second inning.

Ball State struck first in the top of the second when Charlie Keller launched a two-run home run to right-center to put the Cardinals ahead 2-0. Kent State answered immediately and emphatically in the bottom half. Williams singled, and Belcher followed with a two-run home run up the middle to tie the game at 2-2. Grady Mee then doubled, and Luke Matthews singled him to third before Brady Marshall delivered an RBI double to right to put the Flashes ahead 3-2. Two more unearned runs crossed on a passed ball and a wild pitch to cap the five-run inning and push the lead to 5-2.

Williams added to the cushion leading off the third with a solo home run to left field to make it 6-2. Ball State pulled within three in the fourth on a Kenskey Thomas solo home run, but Kent State answered again in the bottom of the fourth when Ripken Reese singled home Matthews to restore the four-run advantage at 7-3.

The Cardinals made it 7-4 in the seventh on a Ryan Muizelaar RBI double, but Muizelaar was promptly picked off to end the threat. Kent State pushed the lead back to four in the eighth when Micah Rienstra-Kiracofe lifted a sacrifice fly to score Marshall. Ball State scored a final unearned run in the ninth on a wild pitch, but Peyton Williams closed the door with two strikeouts to earn his fourth save of the season.

Ben Rabatin earned the win (5-1), going five innings and allowing three runs on three hits while striking out five.

Belcher finished 1-for-3 with a two-run home run and two RBI before departing for a pinch runner. Williams went 2-for-4 with a home run, an RBI, and scored twice. Matthews was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and a stolen base. Marshall went 1-for-4 with an RBI double and two runs scored. Reese added two hits, an RBI, and a walk. Solitaria went 2-for-3 with two walks and a stolen base, and Mee contributed a double, a walk, and a stolen base.

Kent State returns home Wednesday to host Mercyhurst at Schoonover Stadium with the first pitch set for 6 p.m.

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