Wednesday’s Baseball Results
Kent State 14, St. Bonaventure 9
Dayton 14, Akron 11
Pitt 16, Ohio 2 (7 innings)
Story Courtesy of Kent State Athletic Communications
Kent State 14, St. Bonaventure 9
Box Score
KENT, Ohio – A massive six-run fifth inning propelled the Kent State baseball team to a 14-9 victory over St. Bonaventure on Wednesday at Schoonover Stadium.
Kent State (9-3) struck first in the bottom of the opening frame when Brody Williams laced an RBI double to left-center, scoring Luke Matthews to take a 1-0 lead.
St. Bonaventure (4-7) responded at the top of the second with a three-run home run to left field by Joey Calabretti. The Flashes cut the deficit to 3-2 in the bottom half of the inning when Grady Mee reached on a fielder's choice, allowing Hunter Klotz to score.
After Calabretti hit his second home run of the day in the top of the fourth to make it 4-2, Kent State's offense exploded for four runs in the bottom of the inning. Brady Marshall hit an RBI double to score Kolton Schaller, and Marshall later scored on a wild pitch to tie the game at 4-4. Matthews followed with a sacrifice fly to bring home Alejandro Covas, and Sawyer Solitaria added an RBI single that scored Mee, giving the Flashes a 6-4 advantage.
The Flashes broke the game open in the fifth, plating six runs to extend their lead to 12-4. Covas drew a bases-loaded walk to score Schaller, and Mee followed with an RBI single that brought home Marshall. Matthews then delivered a two-run double to left-center, scoring Covas and Klotz. Micah Rienstra-Kiracofe added an RBI on a fielder's choice, and Schaller capped the scoring with a bases-loaded walk that brought Matthews home.
Kent State added another run in the sixth on a wild pitch that scored Klotz, and one more in the seventh on an RBI single by Klotz. St. Bonaventure attempted a late rally with two runs in the seventh and three in the eighth, highlighted by a Christian Lamothe solo home run and a two-run double by Chris Hoalcraft. Still, it wasn't enough to overcome the deficit.
Klotz finished 2-for-3 with three runs scored, an RBI, and a double. Williams also went 3-for-3 with an RBI and a double. Matthews drove in three runs and scored twice while stealing two bases, and Mee scored two runs while adding two hits, two RBIs, and two stolen bases.
Grant Keffaber earned the win in relief for Kent State, pitching 2.1 scoreless and hitless innings while striking out three batters.
The Flashes return to action this weekend, March 6-8, when they host Bowling Green in their MAC opener.
