KENT, Ohio-The Marshall University baseball team managed a split with first-place Kent State University in action at Gene Michael Field. In the first game, Marshall rallied for a 7-4 victory in extra innings, snapping the Golden Flashes 12 game winning streak. Kent State rebounded in the second game, defeating the Thundering Herd 7-4. Marshall is now 17-26 on the season, 7-11 in conference, while KSU is now 29-13, 14-3 in the conference.

In the first game, behind starting pitcher Grant Harper, Marshall was able to win on the road for only the second time this season, rallying for a 7-4 victory. Harper pitched a complete game, allowing eight hits and four runs in nine innings pitched.

Marshall fell behind 3-0 early, but tied the game with single runs in the second, third and fifth innings. In the second, Homer Renshaw singled to right field to score Clay DeSantis to make it 3-1. Marshall cut it to 3-2 in the third when Craig Dziedziejko hit a sacrifice fly to bring home David Colangelo.

The Thundering Herd finally tied it in the fifth when MU perfectly executed a suicide squeeze. With Mike Koitsopolous moving on the pitch, Matt White laid down a perfect bunt to allow him to score.

Kent State regained the lead in the sixth, however, on a solo home run by Tom Martin to give the Golden Flashes a 4-3 lead.

Needing only three out in the seventh to extend their winning streak to 13, KSU brought in closer Gus Hlebovy. However, Dziedziejko hit a game-tying home run with one out to send the game into extra innings.

After a scoreless eighth, Marshall was able to put three runs on the board in the ninth to take a commanding 7-4 lead. With two outs, DeSantis singled to score Koitsopolous to give MU a 5-4 lead. Hiller followed with a single to score DeSantis and White to make it 7-4.

Harper was able to shut down the Golden Flashes in the bottom of the inning, snapping their 12 game winning streak.

Hlebovy (3-2) took the loss after the blown save, allowing four runs on four hits.

Kent State rebounded in the second game, however, rallying for a 7-4 victory.

Marshall jumped out to an early 4-1 lead with three runs in the second and one in the third. In the second, Ryan Kobbe singled to score DeSantis to tie it at 1-1. A double by Marty Rini scored Kobbe and Koitsopolous scored Rini with a single to give MU a 3-1 lead. In the third, DeSantis scored on a single by Gregg Hiller to give the Thundering Herd a three run lead.

The lead did not last long, however, as the Golden Flashes exploded for six runs in the fourth inning to make it 7-4.

Chris Welsch led the way for KSU in the second game, going two for two with a run in the RBI.

Kent State starting pitcher Matt Lorenzo (4-2) was able to shut down MU the rest of the way, pitching a complete game and getting the victory.

DeSantis led the way for Marshall in the second game, going one for three with two runs scored.

The four game series will conclude on Sunday, May 5, at 1:00 p.m.