Kent State University
University of Akron
Golden Flashes Host Rival Akron in Non-Conference Midweek Showdown
4/7/2026 4:38:00 PM | Baseball
KENT, Ohio – Kent State baseball returns home to Schoonover Stadium on Wednesday, April 8, for a non-conference midweek matchup against in-state rival Akron.Â
Kent State arrives riding a wave of confidence, having swept Ohio in Athens last weekend to improve to 23-7 overall and 12-3 in MAC play. The Flashes own the best winning percentage in the conference and the 14th-best mark in the nation at .767. Akron enters at 13-17 overall and 5-10 in the MAC after a difficult stretch that has kept the Zips near the bottom of the conference standings.
The MAC's Best Pitching Staff Against a Free-Swinging Lineup
This matchup figures to be a collision between one of the MAC's most dominant pitching staffs and one of the conference's most aggressive offensive approaches. Kent State continues to lead the MAC in ERA (4.84), WHIP (1.31), strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.64), and walks allowed per nine innings (3.42), with all four marks ranking among the top 40 nationally. The Flashes have held opponents to a .243 batting average and have struck out 267 batters in 266.0 innings on the season.
Akron, meanwhile, has struggled to limit opposing hitters, carrying a 7.09 team ERA that ranks 233rd nationally and seventh in the MAC. The Zips have issued 183 walks in 250.0 innings — a walks-allowed rate of 6.59 per nine that ranks 285th in the country — and opponents are hitting .282 against their staff with a .444 slugging percentage. Wednesday's game sets up as a genuine mismatch on the mound.
Kent State's Offense Has Reached Another Level
The Flashes have been one of the MAC's most explosive offenses all season, and recent weeks have only accelerated that production. Kent State is scoring 8.5 runs per game, which is second in the MAC and 28th nationally, and has posted a .284 team batting average, fourth in the conference and 104th nationally. The Flashes rank second in the MAC in runs (254), slugging percentage (.460), home runs (37), and stolen bases (68), and third in on-base percentage (.414).
Sawyer Solitaria has taken his game to an elite level and is now one of the most productive hitters in the country. Through 30 games, he is hitting .342 with 10 home runs, 29 RBIs, and a .658 slugging percentage. His 77 total bases rank second in the MAC. His home run total ranks second in the MAC and 63rd nationally, and he ranks 107th nationally in runs scored with 34.
Ripken Reese has quietly developed into one of the most well-rounded hitters in the conference, batting .313 with seven home runs, 26 RBIs, and a .583 slugging percentage. Micah Rienstra-Kiracofe (.305, 25 RBIs, .446 OBP) continues to be one of the Flashes' top hitters. Brady Marshall (.308, .495 OBP) remains one of the most dangerous table-setters in the MAC, scoring 27 runs and drawing 18 walks and eight hit-by-pitches in just 20 starts.
Brody Williams (.277, 28 RBIs) is among the MAC's most productive catchers, and Luke Matthews (.241) has elevated his game with 29 runs scored, 11 stolen bases, and a .368 on-base percentage driven by 14 walks and nine hit-by-pitches. Kolton Schaller (.264, five HR, 21 RBIs) provides middle-of-the-order pop, while Nolan Belcher (.306) and Alejandro Covas (.293) give Kent State legitimate depth throughout a lineup that has no easy outs.
Akron Has Some Weapons Worth Watching
The Zips haven't had the season they envisioned in the standings. Still, they pose genuine offensive threats to Kent State at Schoonover Stadium that the Golden Flashes cannot take lightly, particularly in a single-game midweek format. Brody Chrisman leads Akron at .366 with four home runs, 26 RBIs, and 18 stolen bases, which ranks 3rd in the MAC. Blake Bowen (.268) has been an on-base machine, drawing 36 walks and posting a .482 OBP, which ranks sixth in the MAC. His 36 walks rank second in the MAC and third in the nation, making him one of the most patient batters the Flashes will see all year.
Brennan Morgan (.283, 26 RBIs) provides steady production, and Kelton Phillips (.338) has been quietly one of Akron's most consistent bats since working his way into the lineup. The Zips also lead the MAC in stolen bases, their 79 attempts are first in the conference and 21st nationally, and Tucker Biehl (11 SB, 10 sacrifice bunts) is as skilled a small-ball threat as any the Flashes will face this season, ranking first in the MAC and tied for the national lead in sacrifice bunts. Kent State's catchers and infielders will need to be sharp in controlling Akron's running game.
The Probable Starters
The projected starters for Wednesday's midweek game have not yet been announced for either side.Â
First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
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