Kent State University
24-7
University of Akron
14-18
Golden Flashes Down Rival Akron 12-7 Behind Explosive Offense
4/8/2026 9:18:00 PM | Baseball
Ripken Reese recorded 100th career hit in win
KENT, Ohio — Kent State overcame an early two-run deficit to defeat rival Akron 12-7 Wednesday night at Schoonover Stadium, improving to 24-7 overall behind a six-run first inning and a dominant middle stretch that put the game out of reach.
Akron grabbed the early advantage with two unearned runs in the top of the first, but the Flashes answered immediately and emphatically. Kent State sent ten batters to the plate in the bottom of the first, erupting for six runs on four hits to take a lead they would not relinquish. The Flashes added two more in the third to push the margin to 8-2 before a four-run sixth, capped by a Nolan Belcher three-run home run, which put the game away at 12-4. Akron plated three runs in the ninth, but it was too little, too late. Parker Lind earned the win (2-0), tossing 1.2 scoreless innings in relief as part of a six-pitcher effort out of the Kent State bullpen.
Belcher was the offensive standout, going 3-for-5 with a double, a home run, and four RBIs. His three-run blast to left field in the sixth inning was the decisive blow of the night. Alejandro Covas reached base five times and scored three runs, going 3-for-4 with an RBI and a walk. Ripken Reese added a milestone to his evening, notching his 100th career hit as part of a 1-for-3 night with two walks. Sawyer Solitaria drove in two runs with a first-inning single and a sixth-inning sacrifice fly, while Brody Williams doubled and knocked in two in the first. Kolton Schaller drove in two runs with a sacrifice fly and a groundout, and Brady Marshall added an RBI single in the third. Micah Rienstra-Kiracofe tripled to open the sixth and scored on Solitaria's sac fly to extend the lead.
Kent State returns to MAC play this weekend, traveling to DeKalb, Illinois, to play NIU.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Lind, Parker (2-0)
L: Josiah Ross (2-5)
Batting:
2B: Prince DeBoskie 1 ; Austin Lafferty 1
HR: Blake Bowen 1
RBI: Brody Chrisman 1 ; Austin Lafferty 1 ; Derek Occhipinti 1 ; Blake Bowen 1 ; Mitchel Szymczak 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kelton Phillips 1 ; Will Heisler 1 ; Prince DeBoskie 1 ; Austin Lafferty 1 ; Blake Bowen 1 ; Tucker Biehl 1 ; Ryan Jones 1
SB: Brody Chrisman 1 ; Tucker Biehl 1
HBP: Blake Bowen 1
Batting:
2B: Williams, Brody 1 ; Belcher, Nolan 1
3B: Rienstra-Kiracofe, Micah 1
HR: Belcher, Nolan 1
RBI: Marshall, Brady 1 ; Solitaria, Sawyer 2 ; Williams, Brody 2 ; Covas, Alejandro 1 ; Belcher, Nolan 4 ; Schaller, Kolton 2
SF: Solitaria, Sawyer 1 ; Schaller, Kolton 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Marshall, Brady 1 ; Reese, Ripken 1 ; Rienstra-Kiracofe, Micah 2 ; Solitaria, Sawyer 1 ; Williams, Brody 2 ; Covas, Alejandro 3 ; Belcher, Nolan 2
SB: Matthews, Luke 1
HBP: Marshall, Brady 1
