Baseball takes two out of three from College of Charleston over weekend

Eli+Kraus%2C+a+sophomore+left-handed+pitcher%2C+pitches+to+a+Western+Michigan+University+player+during+a+game+at+Olga+Mural+field+at+Schoonover+Stadium+on+Sunday%2C+April+30%2C+2016.+The+Flashes+won+13-2.

Eli Kraus, a sophomore left-handed pitcher, pitches to a Western Michigan University player during a game at Olga Mural field at Schoonover Stadium on Sunday, April 30, 2016. The Flashes won 13-2.

Henry Palattella

The Kent State baseball team (9-5) managed to secure two wins this weekend over the College of Charleston.

The weekend started off on a good note for the Flashes, as they secured a 13-5 win over the Cougars. The Flashes blew the game open with an early 8-2 lead that was capped off by a Pete Schuler home run. Schuler finished 4-5 with 4 RBI. Eli Kraus (3-1) had another superb start on the mound, as he gave up three runs in six innings of work. Austin Havekost threw three innings to get the save.

The second game of the weekend proved to be the hardest for Kent State, as they fell to the Bulldogs 10-7. Flashes’ starting pitcher Zach Willeman gave up six runs in the first inning, and gave up nine runs in 2 2/3 innings before being pulled. Kent State held a 7-6 lead in top of the second inning, but Charleston took the lead back for good in bottom of the inning when Bradley Dixon hit a two-run single to give the Bulldogs an 8-7 lead.

The third and final game of the weekend once again resulted in a Kent State win, this time in the form of a 5-0 shutout. Joey Murray (2-0) spun a gem on the mound, throwing five scoreless innings with nine strikeouts. Rilley Hawkins served as the offensive catalyst for the Flashes, picking up three hits, one of which was a home run. The Bulldogs as a team only managed to record four hits.

The Flashes will be back in action next Friday when they travel to Cullowhee, North Carolina, to take on Western Carolina University.  The Flashes’ were initially supposed to have their home-opener this coming Tuesday against Western Illinois, but the game was cancelled due to inclement weather. 

Henry Palattella is the sports editor, contact him at [email protected].