Kent State University
23-7, 12-3
Ohio University
6-25, 3-12
Golden Flashes Sweep Ohio With 16-2 Victory, Outscore Bobcats 42-8 in Series
4/4/2026 4:15:00 PM | Baseball
ATHENS, Ohio — Kent State capped a dominant three-game sweep of Ohio with a 16-2 victory Saturday afternoon at Bob Wren Stadium, outscoring the Bobcats 42-8 across the series and claiming the program's fifth sweep of the 2026 season. The Golden Flashes improved to 23-7 overall and 12-3 in MAC play.
The Flashes scored in seven of nine innings and never trailed, building an 8-0 lead through five innings before Ohio answered with a pair of solo home runs in the sixth. Kent State responded by adding a single run in the seventh before an explosive seven-run ninth inning put any doubt to rest.Â
Ben Rabatin earned his fourth win of the season (4-0), going five innings and allowing two runs on four hits with six strikeouts. Evan Holewinski was sharp in relief, retiring nine of ten batters he faced with four strikeouts over three innings, and Jordan Kolenda closed it out with a scoreless ninth.
Ripken Reese led the offensive charge, going 3-for-5 with a home run, a double, three RBI, and three runs scored. The two-run homer in the second inning, which also scored Luke Matthews, gave Kent State a 3-0 cushion it would never relinquish. Luke Matthews was a catalyst throughout, going 3-for-4 with two stolen bases and four runs scored. Sawyer Solitaria provided the knockout blow in the ninth with a three-run home run to center that extended the lead to 15-2, finishing 1-for-4 with three RBI and two walks. Micah Rienstra-Kiracofe went 3-for-5 with two doubles and two RBI, while Brady Marshall added two hits, an RBI, and two runs scored. Nolan Belcher and Grady Mee each drove in a run, and Matt Thompson capped the scoring with an RBI single as a pinch hitter in the ninth.
The Golden Flashes return home to host rival Akron in a non-conference midweek game on Wednesday, April 8, at 6 p.m.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Rabatin, Ben (4-0)
L: AJ Dallmayer (0-4)
Batting:
2B: Marshall, Brady 1 ; Reese, Ripken 1 ; Rienstra-Kiracofe, Micah 2 ; Mee, Grady 1 ; Matthews, Luke 1
HR: Reese, Ripken 1 ; Solitaria, Sawyer 1
RBI: Marshall, Brady 1 ; Reese, Ripken 3 ; Rienstra-Kiracofe, Micah 2 ; Solitaria, Sawyer 3 ; Williams, Brody 1 ; Covas, Alejandro 1 ; Belcher, Nolan 1 ; Thompson, Matt 1 ; Mee, Grady 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Marshall, Brady 2 ; Reese, Ripken 3 ; Rienstra-Kiracofe, Micah 1 ; Cope, Josh 1 ; Solitaria, Sawyer 1 ; Muncy, Nate 1 ; Covas, Alejandro 1 ; Belcher, Nolan 2 ; Matthews, Luke 4
SB: Rienstra-Kiracofe, Micah 1 ; Covas, Alejandro 1 ; Matthews, Luke 2
CS: Reese, Ripken 1 ; Rienstra-Kiracofe, Micah 1
HBP: Covas, Alejandro 2 ; Matthews, Luke 1
Batting:
HR: Cameron Boyd 1 ; Grant Wilson 1
RBI: Cameron Boyd 1 ; Grant Wilson 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Cameron Boyd 1 ; Grant Wilson 1
