Kent State just one win away from the College World Series

EUGENE, Ore. - The Kent State University baseball team is just one win away from making school history by qualifying for the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska.

On Saturday night, the Flashes extended the nation's longest active winning streak to 21 games in a row with a 7-6 win over the Oregon Ducks at PK Park in Eugene, Oregon.

Flashes center fielder Evan Campbell preserved the win with a diving catch robbing the Ducks J.J. Altobelli of the game winning hit.

Hudson native and Walsh Jesuit grad David Starn got the win pitching six and third innings, allowing four runs on five hits, striking out four and walking seven.

Avon native Josh Pierce recorded his second save of the season. Pierce entered the game in the bottom of the ninth inning with the bases loaded and no outs. Pierce did allow two of the inherited runners to score before retiring Altobelli for the final out of the game

The Flashes scored the first two runs of the game in the third inning on an rbi single by shortstop Jimmy Rider scoring Campbell. Rider would then score one batter later when catcher David Lyon reached on an Oregon error.

After the Ducks get on the board in the bottom of third inning, Kent State would add a run in the top of the fourth and two more in the top of the fifth to take a 5-1 lead. Oregon would then chip away at the Flashes lead with single runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings.

A huge play in the game came in the top of the eighth. With Kent leading 5-4 and two runners on with two outs, left fielder Alex Miklos hits a line drive the opposite way to right field, it gets under the glove of Ducks right fielder Aaron Jones. The error would allow Sawyer Polen and T.J. Sutton to score giving the Flashes a 7-4 lead on what would prove to be the winning runs.

Kent State improves to 45-17 on the season. Game two of the Super Regional series takes place at 10PM, Cleveland time on Sunday night. The game can be seen on ESPN-U. If a game three is necessary, it will take place on Monday night at 7PM Cleveland time.