A matchup between Miami (OH) (33-21, 24-7) and Kent State (38-16, 24-7), the top two teams in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Baseball Tournament, appeared to be one of the best matchups on the surface during the midday time slot for Saturday at Crushers Stadium in Avon, Ohio. 

This was not the case, as the RedHawks took care of business with a 6-1 win to carry themselves to the MAC Championship game, where they will face the winner of the loser’s bracket final matchup between Kent State and Toledo. 

Kent State struck first in the top of the second inning with a single to right field by redshirt sophomore infielder Ripken Reese to drive in KSU’s only run of the game.

The Golden Flashes did not hold the lead for long, as Miami drove in four runs in the bottom of the second inning, needing only two at-bats to do so.

Redshirt sophomore utility player Tommy Harrison homered to right field, driving in himself and senior catcher Ty Batusich. 

Then, senior outfielder Anthony Zarlingo joined in on the scoring with a two-run single to close out the second inning and put the RedHawks ahead 4-1. 

Miami put the ballgame out of reach in the fourth inning when both redshirt senior infielder Dillon Baker and redshirt junior infielder Evan Appelwick hit RBI singles to the left side to score two more runs. 

The RedHawk’s redshirt sophomore MAC Pitcher of the Year, Cooper Katskee, showed why he won the award with a dominant complete game performance on the mound against the Golden Flashes.  

Katskee’s final stat line amounted to 125 pitches, resulting in only five hits and one run allowed along with two walks and six strikeouts. 

His complete game is the first in the MAC Tournament since 2024, when Ball State’s Merritt Beeker tossed a one-hitter against the Toledo Rockets. 

Next, the Golden Flashes will look to take down a red-hot Rockets team to find themselves in a revenge game against the RedHawks in the championship.