The black skies parted Saturday, and Ohio slipped into the red with a loss in the day's first game. The first game of the series concluded with a 4-1 loss.
Here's how it happened:
7th inning:
Ohio lefthander Sean Kennedy came out of the bullpen and worked a scoreless top half of the inning. Golden Flashes' reliever Ryan Mace did likewise.
8th inning:
Kent State loaded the bases and chased Kennedy from the game. Kennedy's replacement Tyler Stage got the Golden Flashes' all-time hits leader Jimmy Rider to fly out to Ohio center fielder Ethan Newton who came up throwing to a waiting Cody Gaertner who blocked Sawyer Polen from scoring to end the inning.
Kent flashed some leather of its own with a few nice plays to set the Bobcats down in order.
9th inning:
Lyon doubled to left field, Kent first baseman George Roberts sacrificed him over to third. Pinch hitter Nick Hamilton grounded out which scored Lyon for the fourth Flashes' run.
Mace worked three scoreless innings and set the Bobcats down in order in the ninth. Jensen Painter's 52 game on-base streak has come to an end as Mace struck out Tyler Wells with Painter waiting on deck.
