KENT, OHIO- The Golden Flashes honored their nine-man senior class and Kent State erased a five-run deficit in a wild 11-10 victory over Western Michigan on Sunday afternoon.
All four seniors in the starting lineup recorded at least one hit. Cam Touchette once again led the way going 2-for-4 with four driven in, highlighted by his go-ahead home run in the seventh.
Touchette's solo homer was his third of the series and gave the Flashes a 9-8 lead in the seventh, capping a game-long comeback. Western Michigan scored five times in the first inning. It stayed that way until the third when the Flashes strung together four hits to cut the Broncos lead to 5-4. Michael McNamara and Justin Miknis provided run-scoring singles and Justin Kirby thought he had done the same, if not for a spectacular diving catch from Bronco right fielder Will Morrison.
As was the story for most of the game, Western Michigan had an answer for the Golden Flashes as they rebuilt their lead in their half of the fourth. The Broncos chased starter Benny Roebuck and got a single and sacrifice fly off senior Trevor Pittman to lead 7-4. Pittman pitched well in relief on Sunday, going two and a third, allowing just a run on two hits, while striking out two.
The Flashes answered back again, scoring twice in the fourth and again getting the tying run on, but couldn't draw even. Seniors Kevin Dobos and Touchette each had doubles in the inning to pull Kent State to within one at 7-6. The Broncos made it 8-6 in the fifth and the Flashes finally drew even in the bottom half. Kent State got some help from the Broncos, scoring on a dropped third strike wild pitch and Collin Matthews' hit by pitch with the bases loaded.
It stayed tied at 8 until the seventh when Touchette parked a 2-0 pitch from Ryan Watt over the centerfield wall for the go-ahead homer. An inning later, Mathews provided much needed insurance, getting a ball to skip through the infield for a two-run single, giving Kent State an 11-8 lead.
That looked to be enough for Max Rippl who had sent down eight straight entering the ninth inning. However, an infield single and a double put two runners in scoring position and summoned Jack Kartsonas from the bullpen. The freshman gave up a single and a sacrifice fly to the deepest part of the ballpark to make it 11-10. The sophomore rallied back to strike out Logan Hudson to earn his first save of his Kent State career.
The proper senior day sendoff makes the Flashes 27-24 on the season and drops Western Michigan to 21-25, both teams are now 20-16 in conference play. Kent State will wrap up their home season on Tuesday night, welcoming in Akron for a mid-week rivalry game. First pitch is set for 5 p.m.
The Link LonkMay 24, 2021 at 04:24AM
https://kentstatesports.com/news/2021/5/23/baseball-flashes-send-off-seniors-with-wild-11-10-victory.aspx
Flashes Send Off Seniors with Wild 11-10 Victory - Kent State Golden Flashes - Kent State University Athletics
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