AVON, Ohio – Two home runs from junior third baseman Landon Stephens helped the Miami University baseball team kept its season alive with an 8-5 victory over Kent State Thursday morning. The RedHawks improve to 37-18 on the season, while the Golden Flashes finish the year at 30-24.

With the victory, Miami will advance to Friday where it will face either Central Michigan, Ball State or Ohio. The game could be at 10 a.m. or 2 p.m., it will all depend on the results of the remaining Thursday games. Check back with MiamiRedHawks.com and @MiamiOHBaseball on Twitter for further updates.

Kent State struck first in the bottom of the first inning with a double down the left field line to take a 1-0 lead.

Miami was able to take the lead with three runs in the top of the third. With one out, redshirt junior left fielder Kyle Winkler doubled to left field. After another out was recorded, junior shortstop Will Vogelgesang singled to left field to score Winkler and tie the contest. Landon Stephens followed with his eighth home run of the season, an opposite field shot over the right field line that put the RedHawks on top, 3-1.

The Golden Flashes got one back in the bottom of the third on a solo home run and were able to tie the score at three with a bases loaded walk in the bottom of the fifth.

With one out in the top of the sixth, freshman designated hitter Cole Andrews sent one to deep right center that cleared the wall for his sixth home run of the year and put Miami back on top. Senior outfielder Mackay Williams made it back-to-back home runs and he put one over the right field wall to make it 5-3.

Kent State showed some patience and was able to load the bases via walk with one out in the bottom of the sixth. Senior pitcher Andy Almquist came in and hit a batter to force in a run, but then got a pair of key groundouts to keep Miami in front, 5-4.

In the top of the seventh, Winkler led off with a base hit. A groundout by center fielder Cristian Tejada moved him to second base. Vogelgesang was then hit by a pitch. After KSU got the second out, a bloop hit by redshirt junior third baseman Jordan Stephens dropped for a double and scored both Winkler and Vogelgesang to give the RedHawks two important insurance runs.

With two outs in the top of the ninth, Landon Stephens hit his second home run of the day and ninth of the season over the left center field wall. Junior pitcher Spencer Mraz, who had come on in relief in the bottom of the eighth, allowed a run on a sac fly in the bottom of the ninth, but got the final out via groundout to secure the 8-5 victory.

Landon Stephens finished the game 2-for-5 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Jordan Stephens was 2-for-5 with two RBIs. Winkler and Williams each also had two hits for the RedHawks.

Almquist got the win for Miami, improving to 6-0 on the season. He did not allow a hit or walk in 1.2 innings pitched. Mraz got his first save of his career after throwing the final two innings, allowing one run on two hits.