The Kent State baseball team, which was swept in a three-game series by Wake Forest last weekend, is traveling to Florida for a three-game series this weekend.

“We are looking forward to getting down to Florida and that 80 degree weather and get some more games in,” senior Andrew Davis said.

The three-game series loss left a bitter taste in the Flashes’ mouths; the team hopes for better results this weekend.

“We have high expectations for our team, and our players expected to go down there and win the series; that’s what we wanted to do,” Coach Scott Strickland said.

The Flashes wanted to start the season with a series win and a positive note, but the Wake Forest prevented that.

“Yeah that was a tough one, but there were some positives.” Davis said. “We were able to get outside. We hit really good. The pitchers struggled a little bit, but that is going to happen on the road.”

Strickland thinks this year’s team will be centered on pitching.

“We just want to see a little more improvement from the pitching staff,” Strickland said. “Now that we have got three games under our belt, our pitchers will be more comfortable, and that’s what we like to see. If we can be more consistent on the mound, we are going to be very good.”

Another key for the Flashes this season will be Davis, a right-handed pitcher.

He feels his leadership skills will be important to a young Flashes team.

“I think that the most important thing, being a fifth-year senior and with all the young players, is trying to lead by example, try to help them out, make sure that they know what is going on and help them make it through this year and help them improve for the next couple years,” Davis said.

Contact sports reporter Frank Schaefer at [email protected].