Kent State’s baseball team returned to Olga Mural Field at Schoonover Stadium Tuesday, looking to avenge an 8-3 loss to Pittsburgh March 22.

KSU used the long ball as the team recorded two home runs and two doubles, defeating the Panthers 5-2.

Kent State improves to 22-10, extending its winning streak to five games; it remains in second place in the Mid-American Conference at 9-3.

The loss drops UP to 14-17 on the season, and it has lost four of its last five games.

Junior pitcher Benny Roebuck started the game for the Flashes and stranded three Panthers on base, going into the bottom of the second inning.

Junior first baseman Aidan Longwell, who is tied for 15th in the NCAA with 45 RBIs, started the second inning with a leadoff single.

The next batter, junior infielder Michael McNamara belted his fourth homer of the season, giving KSU a 2-0 lead.

In the top of the third inning, UP hit a lead-off home run, and the score was now 2-1.

Over the next two innings, the Flashes’ offense recorded five strikeouts and one hit.

After a leadoff single by KSU in the bottom of the fifth inning, senior outfielder Josh Johnson was thrown out attempting to steal second base.

After an error by the Pittsburgh defense, giving KSU an extra out, junior outfielder Kyle Jackson extended his team’s lead with his fourth home run of the year.

The score was 4-1 as both teams would go scoreless over the next two innings.

The Panthers started the top of the eighth inning with two of their first three batters reaching base.

A sacrifice fly, followed by a double, allowed Pittsburgh to cut into the KSU lead 4-2.

Graduate student pitcher Mitchell Scott entered the game for the Flashes, and after walking his first batter, he recorded a strikeout, stranding three runners on base.

Longwell, who went 3-for-4, leadoff the bottom of the eighth inning with a double.

The next batter, McNamara, connected on a double to left field, and the score was now 5-2. This was his second four-hit game this season.

In the bottom of the ninth, Scott struck out the side, securing his sixth save of the season.

The Flashes used seven pitchers in the contest, as Roebuck (3-1) went four innings, allowing three hits.

The Panthers left eight runners on base; KSU left seven.

Time for Akron

Kent State will begin a three-game series on Friday at Olga Mural Field at Schoonover Stadium, taking on Akron.

The Zips are 13-19 on the season and are tied for sixth in the conference at 6-9.

First Pitch is at 6 p.m.

The Flashes are 114-59-1 all-time against Akron.

Jacob Shondel is a reporter. Contact him at [email protected].