Dell Phenomenal as Flashes and Chips Split on Friday

Friday, March 11

Noon

Kent State University

5-5, 0

Central Michigan University (7 Innings)

4-8, 0

Central Michigan

Kent State

Photo by: David Dermer

Dell Phenomenal as Flashes and Chips Split on Friday

3/11/2022 6:35:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

KENT, OHIO- The Golden Flashes and Central Michigan Chippewas split a Friday double header at snowy Schoonover Stadium with the Flashes winning game one 1-0 and the Chips taking game two 6-5.

GAME ONE | KENT STATE 1 CENTRAL MICHIGAN 0

The first game of the MAC season was an instant classic pitchers duel between right-handers Richie Dell of Kent State and Andrew Taylor of Central Michigan. The righties did not disappoint as they combined for 16 strikeouts against just five hits total.

One of the few scoring opportunities for either side came in the third. Eric Wentz got the first hit of the day for the Flashes and became the first player for either side in scoring position after a passed ball. Taylor slammed the door shut with consecutive strikeouts to keep things scoreless.

As good as Taylor was, Dell was that much better. The righty allowed just two hits and three runners total in the complete game win. The only runner to reach scoring position was Jacob Marsee on a two-out double in the sixth. Dell got the next batter to ground out and end the minor threat.

In the bottom of the seventh, Justin Miknis doubled to right center. Collin Mathews followed with a line-drive single to left. Miknis got waived home and with a slide to the back part of the plate, beat the throw home and gave Kent State the walk-off win.

Dell's final line was seven innings, two hits, one walk and eight strike outs and improved to 2-0 on the season. It's the first shutout for a Kent State pitcher since Eli Kraus did it against Miami in the 2018 MAC tournament.

GAME TWO | CENTRAL MICHIGAN 6 KENT STATE 5

Game two immediately saw more offense than game one. Central Michigan led off the game with a triple off the right center field wall and scoring a batter later on a ground out. Kent State answered right back with Aidan Longwell and Justin Miknis hitting back-to-back doubles to tie the game at one.

The Flashes got into the Central Michigan bullpen in the second after Mack Timbrook walked and advanced on a wild pitch. Eric Wentz greeted the Grant Navarra rudely with a two-run homer over the right field wall, giving Kent State a 3-1 lead.

Central Michigan would rally with a single tally in the third and three more in the fourth. The Chips took advantage of a pair of errors in the fourth to score a trio of unearned runs and take a 5-3 lead.

The bullpens took over from there. Evan Wolf took over for Romel in the sixth and delievered his fourth scoreless outing of the season. The two Ryans, Palmblad and Insco for Central Michigan tossed a combined four and two-third innings of shutout ball to keep things 5-3 into the eighth.

Central would add what proved to be an important insurance run in the eighth on a solo shot to make it 6-3. The Flashes would put two on in the eighth and brought the tying run to the plate but could cross the plate.

They did so in the ninth, mounting a two-out rally. Justin Kirby reached on an infield single and scored a batter later on a Longwell double. With snow pouring down, Miknis lofted a single to center to plate Longwell and make it a 6-5 contest. But Jake Jones would get Mathews to end the game and force the Friday split.

Kent State now sits at 5-6 on the season and 1-1 in the MAC while Central Michigan is 5-8 and 1-1. The forecast has already postponed games for Saturday. The teams hope to finish up the series on Sunday afternoon. Updates will be provided on KentStateSports.com and the Kent State baseball social media channels.