Baseball loses all three in weekend series
February 28, 2023
Kent State’s baseball team totaled 27 hits but gave up 27 runs in an 0-3 performance over the weekend against Wofford College.
The Flashes scored just 12 runs, after scoring 33 runs in their previous weekend series against Jacksonville University.
The Flashes are now 2-4 on the year.
Game one
The Flashes struck first in the third inning off a solo home run from sophomore outfielder Jake Casey to make the score 1-0. Then senior catcher Justin Miknis drove in junior infielder Kyle Jackson and junior first baseman Aidan Longwell, making it 3-0.
Longwell drove in two more runs off a single, scoring Casey and senior outfielder Josh Johnson. This extended Kent State’s lead to 5-0 in the fourth inning.
The Terriers tied it up in the bottom half of the fourth, scoring five runs on one hit and two walks.
Johnson answered right back for the Flashes with an RBI-triple to score Miknis, taking back the lead for KSU, 6-5.
A grand slam in the bottom of the seventh gave Wofford the lead, and KSU lost 9-6.
The Flashes totaled 12 hits to Wofford’s nine.
Game two
Wofford jumped out in front early, scoring two runs on two hits in the first inning.
Casey hit yet another home run, to cut the lead down to one in the second inning.
Kent State took the lead in the third inning after graduate student outfielder Collin Mathews homered to left field for his second homer of the season. It was a two-run shot, driving in sophomore infielder Connor Ashby to take a 3-2 lead.
Wofford tied the game in the fifth and then took the lead in the sixth inning off an RBI-double.
The Terriers put the game out of reach, scoring three runs on two hits and an error. One of the runs was scored after stealing home. Wofford took game two 7-3.
Kent State had just one less hit with eight than Wofford’s nine hits, but could not capitalize.
Game three
The last game of the series did not go KSU’s way. Wofford scored first early in the first inning off a throwing error by Jackson to take a 1-0 lead.
Casey homered in his third-straight game to left field, tying it at one in the second inning.
Another throwing error by Jackson, the Terriers scored a run in the bottom half of the second inning, allowing them to take a 2-1 lead. Longwell tied it in the third, doubling down the left field line. Johnson scored on the play to tie the game at two.
Sophomore pitcher Eric Chalus kept the Flashes in the game, allowing just one run in five innings of work. He allowed just three hits and struck out three.
After five scoreless innings, Wofford scored three in the seventh off a three-run homer to take a 5-2 lead.
The Terriers then put the game out of reach, scoring six runs on five hits in the eighth inning to take a 11-2 lead. Freshman infielder Kolton Schaller earned his first collegiate hit, driving in one on an RBI-single.
The Flashes fell 11-3.
Casey batted .500 over the weekend series, going 6-for-12 with three home runs and three RBIs, scoring five runs.
Kent State next plays Murray State Tuesday and Wednesday. First pitch for Tuesday is 4 p.m. in Murray, Kentucky.
Jacob Hansen is sports editor. Contact him at [email protected].