Sports
Kent State Swept Ohio
By: Nick Ursini
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The MAC leading Kent State Golden Flashes (30-10) came to town for a weekend series and took care of business as they swept the Ohio Bobcats (17-22).
Friday’s game was cancelled after lightning and rain made the field unplayable. A double header was scheduled for Saturday afternoon giving both teams one more day to rest.
Jake Miller took the mound for the Bobcats in the first game. Miller threw seven innings, allowing six runs (four earned) on five hits, no walks and nine strikeouts in the loss. He dropped to 2-7 on the season.
Ohio was in for a tough game as they faced arguably the best pitcher in the MAC in lefty Eric Lauer. Lauer picked up his seventh win of the season as he shut out the Bobcats for 6.2 innings, allowing four hits and two walks with six strikeouts.
The scoring got started in the second inning when the Flashes crossed the plate three times. The Flashes added to their lead as freshmen Pete Schuler hit a two-run home run to dead center, giving the Flashes a 5-0 lead. Dylan Rosa hit the second home run of the game for Kent State in the top of the sixth, extending their lead to 6-0, securing the first game victory.
Kent State began game two with a run in the first inning and never looked back. Jake Rudnicki took the mound for the ‘Cats to try and even the series. Rudnicki pitched five innings, allowing four earned runs on four hits, six walks and five strikeouts. He took the loss and fell to 4-2 on the year. Junior right-hander Andy Ravel pitched six scoreless innings in his fifth win of the season for the Flashes, allowing four hits and two walks with six strikeouts.
The score remained 1-0 until the fifth inning, a three-run inning for the Golden Flashes. Luke Burch led off with a single and was advanced over on a sacrifice bunt by Mason Mamarella. After Zarley Zalewski walked, Rosa singled Burch home. Dom Iero earned a RBI after being hit by a pitch. Tim DalPorto then singled to score another run.
The biggest frame of the day came in a four-run 8th inning. Singles from Zalewski and DalPorto extended the Flashes lead to 8-0 and secured the series with the victory. Ohio was unable to cross the plate in both games on Saturday, leaving nine runners stranded in the second game alone.
Sunday’s game started out like the two previous, Kent State struck first on a Schuler solo blast over the center field wall. Kent State increased their lead to 5-0 after Rosa hit a three run blast over left field wall. The Bobcats were scoreless for 23 innings before finally crossing the plate in the bottom of the sixth.
Rudy Rott started the inning with a single to right field. Mitch Longo followed up with a single of his own, sending John Adryan to the dish. Adryan grounded into a fielder’s choice and Cody Gaertner came to bat and hit a rocket to the second basemen who bobbled the ball allowing Rott to cross home for the first Bobcat run of the series. Another error sent the second run for Ohio across the plate, making it a 5-2 ballgame.
The very next inning, Ohio was able to tie the game at five. Cody Gaertner came to bat with two outs and two runners on. He sent the ball into the left field gap, scoring two.
Jake Roehn came into the game for the ‘Cats in the top of the eighth. Kent State broke the tie after a two out single by Iero. Ohio was unable to comeback, and the 6-5 victory for the Golden Flashes completed the sweep over the Bobcats.
Ohio fell to 5-10 in MAC play and will have a long week off before returning to action Friday night when they travel to South Bend, Indiana to take on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.