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ATHENS, Ohio — The Ohio baseball team fell 22-4 to Kent State in seven innings on Sunday afternoon (March 17) at Bob Wren Stadium. Despite the loss, Ohio (7-9, 3-2 Mid-American Conference) won the series against Kent State for the first time since 2018. 

The Golden Flashes () struck first in the top of the second inning on a sacrifice fly to centerfield. It didn't take long for the Bobcats to equal the score though. They tied the game on a single through the left side by freshman Trae Cassidy (Northville, Mich.) to score fifth year Alex Finney (Oxford, Mich.). 

Ohio took the lead in the bottom of the third on a solo home run by freshman Pauly Mancino (Westlake, Ohio). Mancino's knock was his third of the season.

Kent State took control of the game during the top of the fifth. The 13-run inning gave the visiting team the boost it needed to avoid a series sweep. 

The Bobcats battled back with two runs on a single by senior Gideon Antle (Licking, Mo.) and a pinch-hit sacrifice fly by senior Clay Cutter (Centennial, Colo.) in the bottom of the sixth. However, it wasn't enough to avoid a run rule after the Golden Flashes scored six more runs in the next half inning.  

Starting pitcher Blake Gaskey (Davenport, Iowa) led the Bobcats in strikeouts with three. Reliever Patrick Straub (Naperville, Ill.) followed with two. 

Seven Bobcats recorded a hit on Sunday. Finney had the lone extra-base hit of the afternoon, a double in the second inning. 

Ohio will be back in action on Tuesday (March 19) against Northern Kentucky. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Bill Aker Baseball Complex. 

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