Kent State senior pitcher Chad Wagler hurls a fastball down the center to an Eastern Michigan batter. The Flashes beat the Eagles 2-1 in their first game of the Mid-American Conference tournament. the team plays Western Michigan Thursday at 1 p.m. DAVID R

Credit: Carl Schierhorn

The Kent State baseball team won the first match of the 2006 Mid-American Conference championship, beating Eastern Michigan by a score of 2 to 1.

The winner of the double-elimination tournament will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Kent State plays Western Michigan tomorrow at 1 p.m. The tournament runs until Saturday and takes place at Kent State’s Schoonover Stadium.

– Ben Breier