Baseball team prepares for double header with Youngstown State
Senior Pitcher Michael Clark throws against Penn State at Mural Field on April 3. Kent State lost the game against Penn State 9-7. Photo by Brian Smith.
Inclement weather forced Tuesday’s baseball game to be postponed, so Kent State and Youngstown State will try it again Wednesday.
Kent State will take on the Youngstown State Penguins in a double header Wednesday afternoon at Olga A. Mural Field at Schoonover Stadium.
Game one of the double header will began at 2 p.m., with game two scheduled for 5 p.m. Both games are scheduled to last seven innings.
The Flashes (18-13) have won 10 of their last 13 games, including a sweep of the Buffalo Bulls this past weekend. The team holds a record of 9-0 against Mid-American Conference teams, the best conference start in the program’s history.
Coach Scott Stricklin said for his team, it is all about keeping up the momentum.
“We just need to play well,” Stricklin said. “One of the things we stressed to our guys is it doesn’t matter who you play or where you play. You still have to compete and play well. So we’re going to look to continue to get some wins and build up some momentum going into the weekend against Bowling Green.”
The Penguins (4-26) come to Kent on a five-game losing streak and have lost six of their last eight.
The Flashes swept the season series against the Penguins in 2011, with wins of 7-0 on April 12 on last year and 5-2 on April 13. Kent State leads the all-time series, 59-15-1.
Senior right-handed pitcher Ryan Mace will start for the Flashes in the first game of the double header. In his last start on April 4, Mace allowed just two runs on eights and recorded eight strikeouts in a win over Toledo. Mace also earned his second save of the season on April 7 against Buffalo.
True freshman Tim Faix is scheduled to make his first career start in game two. In three appearances this season, Faix has pitched two and a third innings, struck out four batters and has not allowed a run.
This will be the third double header the Flashes will compete in this season. The Flashes split a pair of games at Western Kentucky on March 3 and lost both games against New Mexico State on March 11.
The Flashes will look to continue their success at home, having compiled a record of 6-2 at Schoonover Stadium this season.
Contact Tim Dorst at [email protected] or @TimmyD_DKS.