Mid-American Conference

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - Third-seeded Kent State University, the defending Mid-American Conference Tournament champion, successfully opened the 2002 MAC Tournament with a 13-4 win over fourth-seeded Ball State University Wednesday (May 22). The tourney is being held at Bowling Green's Steller Field.

The Golden Flashes (34-19) tagged MAC Pitcher of the Year Bryan Bullington for six runs in the first inning and never looked back. With one out, five consecutive KSU batters reached base. The fourth of those hitters, Brady Glass, roped a bases-loaded double into the right-field corner to plate three runners. The following hitter, Tom Martin, deposited a pitch over the fence in left-center. One out later, Chad Kinyon's solo shot gave the Flashes a six-run lead.

KSU added an unearned run in the second, and the score remained 7-0 until BSU (31-22) got on the board with a pair of seventh-inning runs off Golden Flash starter Dirk Hayhurst. An infield grounder by Adam Metzler plated Matt Deckman to break the shutout bid, and Doug Boone legged out a bunt single that scored Brad Snyder.

The Flashes rallied with four runs in the bottom of the frame, including RBI doubles by Pat O'Brien and Casey Ellis.

The Cardinals scored single runs in both the eighth and the ninth, on homers by Scott French and Metzler. Those runs were sandwiched around a two-run KSU eighth.

Five Flashes had two hits apiece, including Glass and O'Brien. Glass knocked in four runs on the day, while O'Brien had three RBI.

Hayhurst picked up the win, allowing three runs on five hits over seven-and-two-thirds innings. He walked two batters and fanned seven in improving to 7-3 on the year.

Bullington (10-3) took the loss, surrendering seven runs (six earned) on eight hits in five innings. He fanned seven batters and did not issue a walk.

At the plate, the Cardinals were led by Metzler and Boone, with two hits apiece.

Kent State advances to face the winner of Wednesday's Central Michigan-Eastern Michigan game, facing the victor on Thursday at 4:00 p.m. Ball State will face the BGSU/Miami winner at 1:00 p.m. Thursday.