KENT, Ohio – The Miami University baseball team opened Mid-American Conference play by defeating Kent State, 3-2, on Saturday in the first game of a doubleheader. That was its 14th straight victory, tying a 36-year old school record. The Golden Flashes brought the win streak to an end with a 12-2 victory in the nightcap. The RedHawks are now 17-4 overall and 1-1 in the MAC. Kent State is 9-11 overall and 1-1 in the MAC.

GAME 1
It was a pitchers' duel between Miami freshman Sam Bachman and Kent State lefty Connor Wollersheim. It took until the sixth inning before either would blink. After redshirt junior left fielder Kyle Winkler led off the frame with a walk, junior third baseman Landon Stephens blasted his fourth home of the season over the left field wall to give the RedHawks a 2-0 lead.

With one out in the top of the seventh, junior shortstop Will Vogelgesang hit a double to right center. After junior catcher Cal Elvers drew a walk, a single up the middle by junior second baseman Colin Shepherd scored Vogelgesang and made it 3-0.

Meanwhile Bachman kept the Golden Flashes at bay throughout the longest outing of his young career. Kent State finally broke through in the bottom of the eighth, getting a two out single to bring in a run. Bachman earned his fourth victory of the season, going 7.2 innings, allowing one run on six hits while striking out 10.

With two outs and runners on first and third in the bottom of the eighth, senior pitcher Shane Smith came into the game in relief and got a groundout to end the threat. Kent State was able to get a solo home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to pull within one, but Smith got the next batter to strikeout to earn his first save of the season.

Vogelgesang finished the opener 3-for-4 with one run scored. Stephens was 1-for-4 with two RBIs and one run scored.

GAME 2
Miami struck first in the second game. With one out in the top of the third, sophomore catcher Nate Stolze doubled to right center. Redshirt junior second baseman Jordan Stephens drove him in with a double of his own to make it 1-0.

Kent State hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the third to take its first lead of the day. It added one more in the top of the fifth to make it 3-1.

Winkler led off the top of the sixth with a single to left center. A double down the right field line by Landon Stephens brought him home and pulled the RedHawks to within one at 3-2.

The Golden Flashes pulled away in the bottom of the sixth when they scored four runs. They added four more in the seventh and one in the eighth to complete the scoring.

Miami looks to start a new winning streak and close out its first MAC series with a victory in the finale against Kent State on Sunday. First pitch is at 1 p.m.