The Kent State baseball team had its 12-game winning streak snapped yesterday, losing 18 to 9 to Duquesne thanks to a 10-run sixth inning by the Dukes.

Three Kent State errors, as well as wild pitching, contributed to the offensive output by Duquesne. Duquesne plated 18 runners on 12 hits thanks to 12 walks by Kent State pitching.

“When you walk 12 people, you’re not going to win,” coach Scott Stricklin said. “Those guys that we walked scored. If you don’t throw strikes you’re not going to win, and that’s what happened.”

Only 11 of Duquesne’s 18 runs were charged as earned runs. The Flashes were able to counter with nine runs of their own, but because of multiple sloppy outings by Kent State pitching it was not enough.

“We swung the bats OK,” Stricklin said. “The offense didn’t lose the game today. We didn’t pitch well enough to win.”

The sixth started off routinely with a strikeout by freshman Cory Martin. After a walk, Martin got Duquesne senior Derek Mechling to fly out to right field. Out number three would be harder to come by.

Martin walked the bases loaded, and was then pulled for junior Steven Davis. Davis would face 16 batters before being able to record the third out of the inning.

Allowing seven hits and walking four, Davis was on the mound as 10 Duquesne batters crossed home plate. The Flashes had a 9-6 lead going into the bottom of the sixth.

“It’s just one of those days,” Stricklin said. “Nothing really went right. I told the guys after the game, ‘Let’s talk about a few things that we need to talk about and move on and get ready for the weekend.'”

The leading run producer for the Dukes was junior Brian Bernardo, who went three for three, walked twice, scored four runs and had four RBIs.

The Flashes received a standout performance from sophomore Tyler Martin. Martin went two for three with three RBIs, two runs scored and a stolen base.

The Flashes will have a chance to redeem themselves with a series against Ohio this weekend, currently second in the Mid-American Conference East Division. Kent State swept the Bobcats last year in a three-game series at Schoonover Stadium, outscoring Ohio 30-4.

Tomorrow’s game time is set for 3 p.m., while Saturday and Sunday’s games start at 1 p.m.

Contact sports reporter Chris Gates at [email protected].