Golden Flashes Score 11 Runs in Series Opening Win at Ohio

Thursday, April 2

Athens, OH

6 PM ET

Kent State University

21-7, 10-3

Ohio University

6-23, 3-10

Kent St.

Ohio

Photo by: Peter Cangiano / Ohio Athletics

Golden Flashes Score 11 Runs in Series Opening Win at Ohio

4/2/2026 9:49:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

ATHENS, Ohio — Sawyer Solitaria reached a milestone and then some Thursday night, notching his 100th career hit and adding a home run as part of an 11-hit performance that powered Kent State to an 11-5 victory over Ohio in the opening game of a three-game MAC series at Bob Wren Stadium.

The Golden Flashes improved to 21-7 overall, and 10-3 in MAC play with the win.

Solitaria went 2-for-6 on the night, with his first hit of the game, a double to center field in the fifth inning that scored Brady Marshall, serving as the 100th of his career. He capped his evening in the ninth inning with a solo home run to left field that extended the Kent State lead to 7-4 and began a five-run explosion that put the game away.

Ciaran Caughey continued his dominant 2026 campaign, earning his fourth win of the season (4-0) with six innings of work. He allowed just one run on four hits, walking two and striking out four. The lone run he surrendered came on a Taylor Harris solo home run in the fifth inning. Peyton Williams closed things out with 1.1 innings of work to earn his third save of the season.

Kent State scored in six of nine innings and built its lead methodically before the decisive ninth. Ripken Reese sparked the offense from the three-hole, going 3-for-5 with a triple, a double, two RBI, and two runs scored. Luke Matthews added a 2-for-4 performance with two RBI, three runs scored, and two stolen bases, while Brady Marshall reached base three times and swiped a pair of bags as well.

The Flashes led 4-0 heading into the fifth before Harris's home run cut into the margin. Kent State answered with a two-run sixth as Alejandro Covas scored on a Nolan Belcher single, and Matthews later crossed the plate on an error to push the lead back to 6-1. Ohio pulled within 6-4 with two runs in the seventh and one in the eighth, but the Flashes put the game to rest with five runs in the top of the ninth. Solitaria's home run started it, and run-scoring singles by Matthews and Reese capped the burst.

Micah Rienstra-Kiracofe chipped in two RBIs, and Belcher added two RBIs with just one hit on the night.

Game two of the series is set for Friday, April 3, at 6 p.m. in Athens.

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