Kent, Ohio – The University of Dayton baseball team fell to Kent State by a score of 9-6 on Tuesday night. Dayton is now 24-21-1 on the year, while Kent State improves to 22-20 with the victory.
 
KEY MOMENT
Kent State scored two runs on zero hits in the fifth, then a three-run home run from Pavin Parks broke the game open in the sixth.
 
SCORING SUMMARY
Top 2: Dayton 2, Kent State 0
Riley Tirotta was hit by a pitch to start off the inning and Jay Curtis doubled beyond the reach of the Kent State right fielder to put a pair in scoring position. Takahiro Yamada drove in both with a double to deep center field.
 
Bottom 2: Dayton 2, Kent State 1
A pair of walks put runners on base for Kent State, then a fielder's choice moved Pavin Parks up to third and Parks scored on a wild pitch.
 
Top 3: Dayton 4, Kent State 1
Michael Cleary led off the inning with a single and Eddie Pursinger sent him all the way home with a triple into the right center gap – his third three-bagger of the season. Pursinger was driven in by Riley Tirotta the next at-bat on a hard-hit groundout.
 
Bottom 3: Dayton 4, Kent State 3
Each of the first three Kent State batters in the inning reached base to load the bases with no outs and a Pavin Parks single drove in a run before a bases loaded walk added another run for the Golden Flashes.
 
Bottom 5: Kent State 5, Dayton 4
A HBP and a walk put two runners aboard, then a double steal moved them into scoring position and a balk tied up the game, then a wild pitch gave Kent State the lead.
 
Bottom 6: Kent State 9, Dayton 4
Back-to-back singles followed by a walk loaded the bases with no outs and a wild pitch brought home a run, then Pavin Parks hit a three-run home run.
 
Top 8: Kent State 9, Dayton 6
Jay Curtis drew a leadoff walk in the inning, then Benjamin Blackwell doubled down the left field line to score Curtis all the way from first. Blackwell scored following a pair of wild pitches.

KEY STATS

• Michael Cleary was hit by a pitch for the 22nd time this season, which set a new Dayton single-season record.
• Despite the current lead, Cleary will have to fight off teammate Mitchell Garrity to hold on to the crown, as Garrity follows closely behind with 21 hit by pitches this year.
• Eddie Pursinger hit his third triple of the season, which ties Benjamin Blackwell for a team high.
• Mitchell Garrity, Jay Curtis, Benjamin Blackwell and Takahiro Yamada all doubled.
• Yamada led Dayton with two RBIs, while Pursinger, Blackwell and Riley Tirotta all drove in one run apiece.
• Alex Brickman returned from a hand injury to make his first appearance since Mar. 27 at Eastern Kentucky, delivering a pinch hit single in the top of the ninth.

UP NEXT

• Dayton hosts Bowling Green on Wednesday, May 1 at 3 p.m., which will be broadcast on ESPN+.