Kent State Walks It Off For Second Time This Weekend To Earn Sweep

Sunday, May 10

Kent, OH

12:00 p.m. ET

Bowling Green State University

19-27, 11-13

Kent State

29-19, 16-8

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Bowling Green	2	1	0	0	2	0	0	0	1	6	15	1
Kent State	0	3	0	0	0	3	0	0	1	7	11	3

Kent State Walks It Off For Second Time This Weekend To Earn Sweep

May 10, 2015 | Baseball

Box Score

By: by Scott Swegan, BGSU Athletic Communications

Final Statistics: HTML | PDF

KENT, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University baseball team lost in walk-off fashion, 7-6, Sunday afternoon at Schoonover Stadium at the hands of the Kent State Golden Flashes. KSU's Dylan Rosa hit an inside-the-park home run to secure the series sweep of the Golden Flashes. Kent State also walked off on BGSU Friday evening.

"Losing twice in a three-game series in walk-off fashion is very tough," head coach Danny Schmitz said. "We are still in position to control our own destiny for the MAC Tournament and we will work this week and put forth our best effort to secure our spot."

For the second time this weekend, Bowling Green was able to score a run while trialing in the top of the ninth. After a Trey Keegan infield single, Matt Smith – who went 3-for-4 with two RBI in the contest – moved him over to second with a sacrifice bunt. Greg Basalyga then brought him home with a single into left-center. Basalyga finished the day 3-for-5 with a pair of RBI. Rosa then led off the bottom of the ninth for Kent State and ended the ballgame.

The Falcons raced out to an early three-run lead, as they plated two in the first and one in the second. Four straight hits led to the two first-inning runs. Brandon Howard and Keegan notched back-to-back singles, and were both brought home when Smith and Basalyga then singled consecutively.

In the second, Brian Bien registered a one-out single and a Kory Brown sacrifice bunt moved him up 90 feet. Howard then doubled him home with a shot off the right-centerfield wall. Howard also had a big day for the Orange and Brown, as he went 3-for-5 with two runs to go along with his RBI. The second basemen also swiped two bags – his 31st and 32nd stolen bases on the season. Howard is one steal away from breaking the school record for steals in a single season.

However, Kent State slugged three home runs before Rosa's and used the long ball to score three in the third to knot the game at three apiece. The Falcons countered with a two spot in the fifth to take a 5-3 lead, but two more KSU home runs in the bottom of sixth led to another three-run frame from the home team, as Kent State led 6-5 after six.

Howard tied the school record with his 32nd stolen base in the fifth after a leadoff single and an error put him on second. One batter later, Smith double him home to give the Falcons a 4-3 lead. Kent State almost worked out of a big jam, but another error led to another Falcon run, as Keegan scored when KSU shortstop Sawyer Polen failed to field a grounder that would have ended the frame.

The two clubs then traded runs in the ninth after the Golden Flashes' three-run sixth. With the loss, the Falcons fall to 19-27 (11-13 MAC), while Kent State improves to 29-19 (16-8 MAC).

Zac Carey started for the Falcons, and lasted 5.1 innings. Carey allowed eight hits, six runs (five earned), struck out one and walked one. Devin Daugherty relieved him and logged 1.1 innings of scoreless baseball. Kody Brown got the final out in the seventh, pitched a perfect eighth prior to Rosa's home run.

The Orange and Brown will return to Warren E. Steller Field on Tuesday to take on the University of Dayton. First pitch is scheduled for 3:05 p.m. Bowling Green will then conclude the regular season against Buffalo across May 14-16. Thursday's first pitch is scheduled for 3:05 p.m., while the Friday and Saturday games will begin at 1:05 p.m. Saturday's game will serve as Senior Day.