The Kent State baseball team defeated the University of Pittsburgh 6-5 at Schoonover Stadium Tuesday to earn a split of the season series.

It was deja vu for the Flashes as their bullpen once again relinquished an early lead. However, the Flashes prevailed this time, courtesy of a clutch hit by junior center fielder Evan Campbell.

Campbell gave the Flashes the lead with an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Campbell went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and one run scored in the game.

The Flashes led 5-0 going into the top of the sixth inning, but the Panthers battled back with five runs to tie the contest. Junior right-handed pitcher Casey Wilson struggled to contain the Panthers in the inning, allowing four of their five runs on four hits in just two-thirds of an inning.

Kent State led off the bottom of the sixth with a single by freshman left fielder Alex Miklos, followed by a sacrifice bunt by sophomore second baseman Derek Toadvine. That set the stage for Campbell, who lined a single to right center field to drive in the go-ahead run.

After the Flashes retook the lead, freshman left-handed pitcher Brian Clark shut the Panthers’ offense down, pitching two and a third innings of shutout baseball with two strikeouts to earn the win. Clark is 4-0 this season in 10 appearances out of the bullpen, with a team-leading 0.69 ERA.

Redshirt freshman right-handed pitcher Eric Dorsch set the Panthers down in order in the ninth inning to earn his second save of the season.

Kent State avenged a loss to Pittsburgh on March 28, in which the Panthers defeated the Flashes by the same 6-5 margin. The Flashes are now 21-15 this season, including 8-2 on their home field.

The Flashes got off to an early advantage against the Panthers, scoring on a throwing error in the first inning and a sacrifice fly by Campbell in the second. Kent State added one run in the fourth and two more in the fifth.

Freshman catcher Tommy Monnot hit an RBI double in the bottom of the fourth, giving the Flashes their 97th double of the season. Kent State leads all Division I teams in doubles as well as in sacrifice flies with 31.

The Flashes will now travel to Mount Pleasant, Mich., to take on the Central Michigan Chippewas in a Mid-American Conference series this weekend. The Flashes are 10-2 against MAC teams this season.

Contact Tim Dorst at [email protected] or @TimmyD_DKS