With a team batting average of .344, the Kent State baseball team has won eight of its last 10 games.

The team’s hitters have struck out 56 times in that stretch, compared to their pitching staff accumulating 79 strikeouts against their opponents and limiting teams to a .241 batting average.

The team’s offensive prowess was on display Tuesday when the Flashes traveled to Pittsburgh and topped the No. 24 Panthers in a 16-3 victory. Freshman infielder Jason Bagoly had a career day, going 4-for-6 with four RBIs, while junior pitcher Brennen Glass limited Pittsburgh to just two hits and one earned run.

Bagoly may have carried the Flashes’ offense Tuesday, but several players for the past ten games have consistently given opposing pitchers trouble.

Senior left fielder Anthony Gallas:

Gallas, Kent State’s all-time leader in RBIs and walks, has batted .476 the past 10 games with three home runs and 13 RBIs. During that time, the senior led the team in runs with 19 and 35 total bases. Gallas is third on the team in batting average on the season, hitting .353 while hitting 10 home runs and accumulating 46 RBIs.

Junior right fielder Ben Klafczynski:

The left-handed hitter has been on a tear lately. With a .462 batting average over the past ten games, the junior is a presence in the middle of the order. Klafczynski has led the team in on-base percentage at .571 in that span, with two home runs and nine RBIs. Klafczynski is second in batting average on the season with a .357 average.

Sophomore infielder Kyle McMillen:

With a .421 average in nine starts over the past 10 games, McMillen is the leader of the Flashes in that span with 16 RBIs on 16 hits. The left-handed hitter was pivotal in the team’s win over Pittsburgh, going 2-for-4 with four RBIs and a double. McMillen is fourth on the team in batting average with a .348 average.

Freshman infielder Evan Campbell:

Campbell, the only regular starting freshman, is hitting .425 in the past 10 games. Weighing just 170 pounds, the freshman leads the team in batting average with a .391 average while hitting in the nine spot for Kent State.

Beginning the season on the bench, Campbell worked his way into the starting lineup with quickness and unseen maturity for a freshman in college baseball. Campbell’s one error on the season is the second fewest to McMillen of the Flashes’ infielders.

Kent State (21-18, 7-5 Mid-American Conference) will look to maintain its No. 1 ranking in the MAC East this weekend when they travel to Buffalo. Buffalo (18-17, 4-8 MAC) is the fourth best hitting team in the conference with a team average of .303, but the team’s pitching has fallen short of expectations. The Bulls rank 11th in the MAC in ERA (7.08), which will be matched up against Kent State’s streaking offense.

Today’s game at Buffalo starts at 3 p.m., and tomorrow and Sunday’s games will start at 1 p.m.

Contact sports reporter Lance Lysowski at [email protected].