Kent State’s baseball team extended its home winning streak to 11 games after sweeping Ohio University. 

The Flashes (31-12) outscored the Bobcats 26-10 over the 3-game series. 

KSU is now first in the Mid-American Conference at 16-5. 

OU falls to 16-23 on the season and is now in fifth place in the conference at 13-8. 

Friday

In game one of the series, Kent State scored the first six runs of the game en route to a 6-1 victory. 

Redshirt senior pitcher Ben Cruikshank tossed seven innings, striking out nine batters on just four hits. 

Cruikshank leads the MAC in ERA (2.83), batting average against (.186) and hits allowed (40). 

The Flashes totaled 10 hits in the contest, with four going for extra bases. 

Graduate student outfielder Collin Mathews recorded his fourth 3-hit game of the season, going 3-for-4. 

Junior first baseman Aidan Longwell leads the conference and ranks 17 in the nation with a .421 batting average notched two hits in Friday’s game. 

Kent State used two relief pitchers as graduate student pitcher Mitchell Scott went 1.1 innings, allowing one run and striking out two batters to close the game for his eleventh save. 

Saturday

In game two, the Flashes scored eight consecutive runs as they defeated OU 13-4. 

After falling behind 2-0 in the second inning, Kent State finally saw its offense come to life in the third inning. 

During the inning, KSU recorded six hits, scoring eight runs. 

Junior infielder Kyle Jackson tied the game 2-2 with a sacrifice fly to right field. 

Two batters later, senior outfielder Josh Johnson singled to left field, bringing in three runners, and the score was now 6-2. 

Mathews ended the scoring in the inning after bringing in two Flashes on a double to left field.

During the fifth inning, sophomore outfielder Jake Casey connected on his ninth homer, extending his team’s lead to 10-3. 

Two batters later, Mathews hit the second two-run home run of the inning as the Flashes led 12-3. 

Senior infielder Mack Timbrook drove in the game’s final run in the eighth inning with an RBI single to left field. 

Junior pitcher Joe Whitman earned his sixth win, going six innings and striking out five batters. 

Whitman is second in the conference with a 3.02 ERA and tied for first with Cruikshank with 19 earned runs. 

Six Flashes recorded two or more hits in the game, as Mathews led all players with four and Timbrook tailed three hits for the second time this season. 

Senior pitcher Jack Kartsonas pitched three innings in relief, striking out two batters and only allowing one base runner. It was his first save of the season. 

Sunday

In game three, Kent State leaned on its six-run first inning as they defeated the Bobcats 7-5, completing the weekend sweep. 

The Flashes sent 10 batters to the plate in the first inning, recording six hits with three going for extra bases. 

Senior catcher Justin Miknis drove in the game’s first run on an RBI single to center field.

The next batter, Longwell, connected on his first of two homers on the day, making the score 3-0. 

Three batters later, freshman infielder Kolton Schaller hit his second home run of the season, extending the lead to 5-0. 

In the second inning, the Bobcats cut the deficit to 6-3 after three consecutive doubles. 

However, in the bottom half of the inning, Longwell homered, bringing his conference-leading RBI total to 61 – he ranks 13 in the nation in RBIs. 

OU added another run in the third inning after a home run, and the score was now 7-4. 

Throughout the rest of the game, Kent State recorded four hits, with one player reaching second base during that time. 

Ohio scored the game’s final run in the fourth inning after a fielding error by Kent State. 

KSU used five pitchers in the series finale, as sophomore pitcher Eric Chalus started the game, going two innings and allowing four runs on five hits.

Junior pitcher Calvin Bickerstaff (1-2) recorded his first win, pitching two innings of scoreless work and striking out three batters. 

Scott worked a scoreless ninth inning, allowing one hit – he is tied for first in the nation with 12 saves. 

Up next 

Kent State will now hit the road, taking on Michigan. 

The Wolverines are 21-20 on the season and have lost five of their previous seven games. 

UM has five players with 20 or more RBIs – KSU has eight. 

First pitch is 4 p.m. on Wednesday.

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