Will Vazquez, junior catcher, waits on a pitch from Malone’s Jake Booth Tuesday at Schoonover Stadium. The Flashes won 7-1. The Kent State Flashes host Miami in a three-game series beginning today at Schoonover Stadium. Both teams are in the top half of t

Credit: Carl Schierhorn

The Kent State baseball team looks to defend its spot atop of the Mid-American Conference East Division in a three-game home series against division rival Miami this weekend.

The first game starts at 3 p.m. today at Schoonover Stadium. The Flashes (21-13, 8-4 MAC) come into the weekend tied with Bowling Green for the No. 1 spot in the MAC East. The Redhawks (17-18, 6-6 MAC) were preseason favorites to win the conference but are currently No. 3 in the MAC East.

Both teams are coming off non-conference losses from Wednesday. Kent State lost 7-4 at Wright State after winning a conference series 2-1 last weekend against Ball State.

Miami lost 5-4 at home to Indiana State Wednesday and won a game by the same margin against Eastern Kentucky Tuesday. The Redhawks took two of three games in their last MAC series at home against Northern Illinois last weekend.

Kent State pitcher J.J. Pacella was named MAC Pitcher of the Week Monday after allowing only three hits and one run during seven innings against Ball State Sunday. The award was the sixth weekly MAC honor the Flashes have received this season.

-Sean Joseph