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Golden Flashes Take Pair of Games in the Toledo Series
Predictable outcome for the series, but still entertaining, as also predicted. Both of the Friday starters made my Top Performers list (stats below), and the Golden Flash bats helped make the series easier on themselves by putting up 16 runs and 26 hits over the weekend.
Scores:
Game 1- Kent State wins 4-1
Game 2- Toledo wins 5-1
Game 3- Kent State wins 6-2
Top Performers:
Toledo:
Tyler Grogg- 3/12, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 2B, 1 SB, 1 HBP
Ryan Wilkinson- 8.0 IP, 10 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
Kent State:
Eric Lauer- 5.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 7 K
Cody Koch- 5/9, 3 R, 5 RBI, 1 2B, 1 HR, 3 BB
Zips Sweep in Home Series Opener Against Eastern Michigan
The Eagles, who had a lot of hype coming into the season for their bats, was out-hit against the Zips in their 3-game series. Eastern totaled 18 hits through the first two games, but was limited to just two in the series finale, with Akron's Myles McVeigh throwing a one-hitter through his six innings of work. Eastern's Friday starting pitcher Jake Andrews let up four runs in the third inning, having a final line of 6.1-6-5-4-4-3.
Scores:
Game 1- Akron wins 6-3
Game 2- Akron wins 10-5
Game 3- Akron wins 6-0
Top Performers:
EMU:
Sam Ott- 4/12, 3 RBI, 1 BB
Michael Marsinek- 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
Akron:
Kris Simonton- 7/13, 5 R, 3 RBI, 1 2B
Myles McVeigh- 6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 9 K
Scott Baker Back to Normal, Helps Sweep Falcons at Home
The Falcons picked up 15 hits in the first loss of the series, then held to a total of 13 in the final two games of the series. Scott Baker, who was off to a rough start of the year, pitched deep into the ninth inning on Saturday, picking up the win with six strikeouts. That game was more of a pitcher's duel with Bowling Green's Mike Frank, allowing 10 hits through 7.2 innings pitched.
Read our complete recap HERE.
Scores:
Game 1- Ball State wins 9-5
Game 2- Ball State wins 3-2
Game 3- Ball State wins 4-3
Top Performers:
Bowling Green:
Brian Bein- 5/12, 2 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB
Mike Frank- 7.2 IP, 10 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
Ball State:
Ryan Spaulding- 5/12, 4 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB
Scott Baker- 8.2 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 6 K
Northern Illinois Needs to Find Balance, Pitches Well in Losses to Buffalo
By some divine miracle, Northern Illinois put up 15 runs in the first game to beat the Bulls in the series opener. As their pitching got better, the bats started to quiet down. Anderson's 8-hit complete game wasn't good enough to take the win, but if there's any sort of foreshadowing going on with these games, NIU could be one of those annoying, underestimated teams down the stretch.
Read our complete recap HERE.
Scores:
Game 1- Northern Illinois wins 15-9
Game 2- Buffalo Wins 3-2
Game 3- Buffalo Wins 3-1
Top Performers:
Northern Illinois:
Justin Fletcher- 6/15, 3 R, 2 RBI, 1 2B
Eli Anderson- 9.0 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 7 K
Buffalo:
Mike Burke- 4/9, 1 R, 2 RBI, HR
Mike Burke (yes, same guy)- 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 10 K
Central Michigan Too Talented For Bobcats, Sweeps on the Road
All three starting pitchers did a phenomenal job for the Chippewas with a combined 2.42 earned run average (ERA) and a 1.119 walks plus hits per innings pitched (WHIP). Cody Leichman is still an animal, and the two Regnier brothers totaled 10 hits and six runs together.
Read our complete recap HERE.
Scores:
Game 1- Central Michigan wins 6-3
Game 2- Central Michigan wins 10-2
Game 3- Central Michigan wins 4-2
Top Performers:
Central Michigan:
Cody Leichman- 6/14, 5 RBI, 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 BB
Nick Deeg- 8.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 8 K
Ohio:
John Adryan- 4/11, 1 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB
Jake Rudnicki- 6.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 2 K
Dan Walsh Gets Six Hits, RedHawks Win Two Over Western Michigan
Like NIU's Anderson, Miami's Nathan Williams tossed a complete game for a loss in the second game of the series. Junior catcher Max Anderson had the walk-off single in the finale, driving in Jake Romano in the bottom of the tenth.
Scores:
Game 1- Miami Wins 11-3
Game 2- Western Michigan Wins 2-1
Game 3- Miami Wins 7-6 (10)
Top Performers:
Western Michigan:
Brett Sunde- 4/10, 3 R, 3 RBI, 1 2B, 2 BB, 1 HBP
Chad Mayle- 7.2 IP, 8 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 7 K
Miami:
Dan Walsh- 6/12, 1 R, 4 RBI, 2 BB
Nathan Williams- 9.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K
Conference Standings (East/West/Overall)
| EAST | Team | W-L | GB |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Akron | 3-0 | - |
| 2 | Buffalo | 2-1 | 1 |
| 3 | Kent State | 2-1 | 1 |
| 4 | Miami | 2-1 | 1 |
| 5 | Bowling Green | 0-3 | 3 |
| 6 | Ohio | 0-3 | 3 |
| WEST | Team | W-L | GB |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ball State | 3-0 | - |
| 2 | Central Michigan | 3-0 | - |
| 3 | Northern Illinois | 1-2 | 2 |
| 4 | Toledo | 1-2 | 2 |
| 5 | Western Michigan | 1-2 | 2 |
| 6 | Eastern Michigan | 0-3 | 3 |
| MAC | Team | W-L | GB |
|---|---|---|---|
| T-1 | Akron | 3-0 | - |
| Ball State | 3-0 | - | |
| Central Michigan | 3-0 | - | |
| T-4 | Buffalo | 2-1 | 1 |
| Kent State | 2-1 | 1 | |
| Miami | 2-1 | 1 | |
| T-7 | Northern Illinois | 1-2 | 2 |
| Toledo | 1-2 | 2 | |
| Western Michigan | 1-2 | 2 | |
| T-9 | Bowling Green | 0-3 | 3 |
| Eastern Michigan | 0-3 | 3 | |
| Ohio | 0-3 | 3 |
HUSTLE BELT'S PLAYERS OF THE WEEK[END]
East:
(Kent State) Cody Koch- 5/9, 3 R, 5 RBI, 1 2B, 1 HR, 3 BB
(Miami) Nathan Williams- 9.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K
West:
(CMU) Cody Leichman- 6/14, 5 RBI, 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 BB
(Ball State) Scott Baker- 8.2 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 6 K