Alex Miklos tripled to score Joe Koch in the top of the 21st inning to lead Kent State to a 7-6 win over Kentucky on Friday in the first round of the NCAA Championship at U.S. Steel Yard in Gary, Ind.
The Golden Flashes took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when George Roberts scored on an error by Wildcats shortstop Matt Reida.
The Wildcats took the lead in the bottom of the third with two runs, but the Flashes answered with three runs in the top of the fourth.
Sawyer Polen scored on a balk and Jimmy Rider singled to score Derek Toadvine to give the Flashes a 3-2 lead. George Roberts doubled to score Evan Campbell two batters later to put the Flashes ahead 4-2.
The Wildcats added a run in the bottom of the fifth and tied the game in the bottom of the seventh before the Flashes took a 5-4 lead in the eighth when Roberts singled to right field to score Rider.
Luke Maile singled to score Austin Cousino in the bottom of the ninth to tie the score 5-5 and send the game to extra innings.
Koch singled home Campbell in the top of the 18th to give the Flashes a 6-5 lead, but the Wildcats answered in the bottom half of the inning when Michael Williams doubled to score Paul McConkey to tie the game 6-6.
The Flashes took the lead for good in the top of the 21st after Miklos tripled home Koch. Reliever Michael Clark struck out Thomas McCarthy with two men on base to end the game.
Roberts went 5-for-10 with two RBI and Rider went 4-for-9 for the Flashes. Koch, Nick Hamilton, Toadvine and Miklos each had two hits for the Flashes.
Starting pitcher David Starn went six innings and gave up four runs on eight hits and struck out six in the no decision. Clark went 3⅔ innings and gave up four hits and struck out four for the win.
The Flashes will play the winner of Friday’s Purdue/Valparaiso game at 8 tonight at U.S. Steel Yard.
