The Kent State baseball team edged Youngstown State 5-3 on a rainy afternoon at Schoonover Stadium today.

Senior second baseman Ryan Mitchell led the Flashes (25-7) at the plate with two hits and an RBI sacrifice fly. Kent State’s hitters banged out seven hits in the game.

Junior catcher Tyler Martin’s two-out, two-run single in the second inning gave the Flashes the first lead of the game. Youngstown State pitcher Ryan Messmer walked the bases loaded to set up Martin’s grounder up the middle.

The Penguins retaliated in the fourth inning to tie the game. After retiring the first two batters, senior pitcher Steve Ross surrendered three straight hits to allow Youngstown State to get on the board.

Kent State manufactured a run in the fifth when Martin moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and then scored behind a double by sophomore left fielder Ben Klafczynski. Freshman first baseman Travis Shaw then slapped a grounder through the right field gap to drive in Klafczynski.

Two hits to lead off the seventh inning moved Youngstown State to within a run, but relievers Justin Gill and Jon Pokorny halted The Penguins’ offense, combining for four strikeouts.

Senior right fielder Jason Patton scored an insurance run for Kent State in the eighth on Mitchell’s flyout.

Tomorrow, Kent State will travel to Columbus to take on Ohio State at 6:35 p.m.

Contact sports reporter Josh Johnston at [email protected].