April 30, 2008

Two-Out Runs Key Kent State's Rally, 9-5 Victory

    Kent, Ohio -- Kent State scored eight straight runs to rally from a four-run deficit and defeat Youngstown State 9-5 on Wednesday afternoon at Schoonover Stadium.
    YSU starter Adam Kalafos held the MAC-leading Golden Flashes without an earned run in five innings and left with a 4-1 lead. Kent State then scored two runs with two outs in the sixth and five more with two outs in the seventh to take an 8-4 lead.
    Kent State starter Alan Morrison ran into some control problems in the first after allowing a leadoff single to Josh Page and getting Sean Lucas to pop out. He had Erich Diedrich down in the count 0-2 before plunking him in the back, and he followed that with walks to Eric Marzec and Joe Iacobucci to force a run in. Anthony Porter then brought in Diedrich with a sacrifice fly to right center to put the Penguins up 2-0.
    YSU doubled its advantage in the second with two runs on three hits, including an RBI double from Lucas and run-scoring single from Diedrich. Jason Reitenbach led off with an opposite-field single and advanced on Page's sacrifice to set up the RBIs for Lucas and Diedrich.
    The Golden Flashes got a run back in the third thanks to an error, and a two-out, two-run double by Doug Sanders in the sixth cut the lead to 4-3. They then took the lead in the seventh with five runs on five walks, two infield singles and an error. Reliever Matt Tucker got the leadoff hitter to pop out, and after the first walk of the inning, got a strikeout before the next two batters walked. Jason Patton and John Lydic then followed with infield singles, and two more walks and the error followed.
    The Penguins kept hitting - every starter had at least one hit - but they couldn't muster any runs until the eighth. David Leon reached on an infield single with one out, and Reitenbach followed with a double off the wall in right that scored Leon when Patton bobbled the ball. Back-to-back walks loaded the bases, but Kent State closer Reid Lamport came in to get back-to-back fly outs to keep the score 8-5.
    Kent State added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth for the final tally.
    YSU had a chance to jump out to a sizeable lead after the first two batters reached in the third, but Morrison got off the hook when he got Leon to bunt into a double play.
    The Penguins later had a runner on third with less than two outs twice and didn't score, and Diedrich was thrown out at the plate trying to score from second on Joe Iacobucci's single in the seventh that would have made the score 5-3.
    YSU will open up a pivotal five-game stretch against Wright State starting Friday at 7 p.m. at Eastwood Field.