Kent State Baseball Rattles Off 10th Straight Triumph With Win Over Youngstown State

KENT, Ohio -- Sophomore center fielder Evan Campbell (Beloit, Ohio) and sophomore catcher Jason Bagoly (Austintown, Ohio) each collected three hits while freshman right-handed starting pitcher Spencer Bryant (Sandusky, Ohio) picked up his first career victory in his first start as the Kent State baseball team blanked Youngstown State, 7-0, in a non-conference game today (April 12) at Olga A. Mural Field at Schoonover Stadium.

The Golden Flashes (21-10) have run off 10 straight victories and are a perfect 9-0 so far in April. The winning streak is Kent State's longest since reeling off 12 consecutive victories from April 6-22, 2008.

"Our guys are confident," said seventh-year head coach Scott Stricklin. "Our team believes they're going to win right now, and that's a big part of our success."

Campbell collected three singles while Bagoly chipped in a double and two base hits. Junior shortstop Jimmy Rider (Venetia, Pa.) added a double and a single to the cause.

Bryant worked four innings, striking out two while giving up two hits and a walk. Redshirt-sophomore righty Ryan Adams (North Royalton, Ohio), redshirt sophomore right-hander David Wright (Salem, Ohio), freshman righty Dan Slavik (St. Clairsville, Ohio) and senior right-hander Justin Gill (Canton, Ohio) all saw action out of the bullpen for the Flashes.

"Spencer went out and threw four pretty effortless innings and was really good out there," said Stricklin. "These games are big for us right now because our weekend starters have been so good for us, some of our youngers guys haven't gotten the innings in that they normally would."

Redshirt junior left fielder Joe Koch (Youngstown, Ohio) accounted for the game's first run after smacking a leadoff single in the bottom of the first and scoring on a double to right by Rider.

The Golden Flashes made it 2-0 in the following frame when Bagoly doubled down the left field line and scored one out later on a throwing error.

Kent State put up a three-spot in the sixth inning. Junior designated hitter David Lyon (Emporium, Pa.) reached on a throwing error to get the inning started. Campbell followed with a single through the right side, setting up an RBI double for Bagoly that plated Lyon and made it 3-0. Sophomore first baseman George Roberts (Summerhill, Pa.) and freshman second baseman Derek Toadvine (Springfield, Ohio) followed with back-to-back sacrifice flies to increase the Kent State advantage to five runs.

The Golden Flashes tacked on two final insurance runs in the seventh. Rider smacked a leadoff double down the left field line. Senior right fielder Ben Klafczynski (Granger Township, Ohio) drew a walk one out later. Lyon smacked a base hit to right to bring home Rider. Campbell followed with a single through the right side to fill the bases with Flashes. One out later, Roberts coaxed a base on balls to bump home Klafczynski.

Sophomore starting righty Padraic Williams suffered the mound loss for the Penguins (8-21), surrendering five runs – three of them earned – on eight hits and a walk over five frames. Senior first baseman Greg Dissinger led Youngstown State at the plate with two singles.

The Flashes and Penguins square off again Wednesday (April 13) in Youngstown, Ohio, to conclude the home-and-home series. Junior right-hander Ryan Mace (Tallmadge, Ohio) will get the start on the bump for Kent State. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m.