NCAA Tournament Bracket
No. 3 Kent State v. No. 2 Louisville, 7 PM ET?
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LUBBOCK, TEXAS – Kent State will take the field under the lights at Den Law Field on Friday night to open NCAA Regional play – exactly six years to the day of the program's most dramatic win.
After breezing through the Mid-American Conference regular season for a third straight year, and then sweeping three straight games in the league's post-season tournament, the Golden Flashes are more than eager to make their first appearance in college baseball's equivalent to the "Big Dance." Kent State – seeded third here in West Texas – will meet a familiar foe on Friday night, Louisville. The Flashes and Cardinals met to open the 2014 NCAA Tournament – head coach Jeff Duncan's first.
"We really feel this is the best regional in the country," Duncan said. "We are very familiar with Louisville and what they bring to the table. We're really excited for the opportunity."
Six years ago, it was another Bluegrass State opponent who locked up with KSU to give fans one of the most memorable Division I baseball games of all time. On June 1, 2012 the Golden Flashes and Kentucky Wildcats played a 21-inning, six-and-a-half hour marathon in the opening game of the Gary Regional. After outlasting UK 7-6, KSU soared all the way to Omaha and the College World Series.
For these 2018 Flashes, Friday's game at 7/6c will be their first appearance on College Baseball's big stage. But victories this year at Sam Houston State, Arkansas, Notre Dame and Pittsburgh prove no moment is too large for Duncan's veteran group. This is a squad which has now won three MAC regular season titles and now a tournament pennant. And it appears to be peaking, too. The Golden Flashes outscored Central Michigan and Miami in the postseason, 29-9.
"We are just loose and energetic," said Eli Kraus, whose two-hit masterpiece in the title game propelled Kent to its 12th league pennant. "We've been waiting for this opportunity and we know it's going to be an electric atmosphere."
Key in KSU's tournament success was unquestionably its starting pitching. Joey Murray, Jared Skolnicki and Kraus combined for a 3-0 record, tossing 24 innings, giving up 10 hits and striking out 27. The starters' ERA in post-season is 1.50. Murray – who figures to get the assignment Friday against the No. 24 Cardinals – is a semi-finalist for the USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award and a two-time MAC Pitcher of the Year. With one strikeout, he will set a new league record for punch-outs in a single season.
The Lubbock Regional is hosted by Texas Tech, the number nine national seed. The Golden Flashes will face second-seeded Louisville (43-17) on Friday with the host Red Raiders taking on fourth-seeded New Mexico State (40-20). It is a double-elimination regional paired with the regional hosted by Georgia.
