Kent State’s Drew Saylor turns a double play during an earlier game this season. The Golden Flashes won yesterday afternoon against Cleveland State 5-1.

Credit: Andrew popik

Blustery winds kept several of the Flashes’ hits in the park yesterday afternoon.

Kent State (19-12) used its pitching to keep most of Cleveland State’s hits in the infield. Five different Kent State pitchers combined for a three-hitter in a 5-1 win over the Vikings (5-16) yesterday at Schoonover Stadium.

Freshman pitcher Steve Ross earned the win in just two innings of work. Ross gave up one run in the first inning but set the Vikings down in order in the second.

Kent State coach Scott Stricklin said Ross is coming off a battle with mononucleosis and is still trying to get settled in.

“This was really his first action in a month and a half,” Stricklin said. “We just wanted to get him out there and get his feet wet. He is going to be big for us.”

After Cleveland State jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first, Ross and four other pitchers allowed just two hits the rest of the way — a bloop hit to right in the fourth inning, and a single through the left side in the eighth. The Vikings could only make their way on base through five walks and three hit-by-pitches.

Cleveland State’s 1-0 lead was short-lived, as the Flashes answered in the bottom of the first. Three hits and three stolen bases in the inning lead to a 3-1 advantage by the end of the first. The Flashes’ offense also struggled after the first inning, scoring just two more runs the rest of the way.

“We pitched very well today,” Stricklin said. “It was a great day to pitch and a tough day to hit. We usually have high scoring games mid-week because it’s not our regular rotation out there. It wasn’t the prettiest win, but our guys did their job today.”

The win was the Flashes’ third in a row and the fourth straight at Schoonover Stadium after dropping the home opener. The team hopes it is hitting its stride going into a weekend series with rival Akron. While it’s still early in the Mid-American Conference season, the Flashes are looking up at Akron, among other teams, in the East division with a 3-4 conference record.

“This gives us a little bit of momentum,” Stricklin said. “This is a huge weekend for us. We need to come ready to play.”

Contact baseball reporter Joe Murphy at [email protected].