TOLEDO, Ohio (Interstat) — Kent State Golden Flashes defeated the Toledo Rockets 4-3 on Friday afternoon at Scott Park Baseball Complex, taking the first two games of a crucial Mid-American Conference series.

Ciaran Caughey delivered a dominant start for Kent State, throwing six innings of no-hit baseball while allowing two earned runs, walking none and striking out seven. The right-hander, who tossed six scoreless innings of no-hit ball against Akron on May 3, retired the first nine batters he faced before Toledo broke through in the bottom of the second. Caughey left after the sixth inning with a 4-2 lead, having faced only two over the minimum through five frames.

Toledo struck first in the bottom of the second. JP Wagner singled to right field, Ty O’Brien singled to right moving Wagner to second, and after Cade Baker grounded into a double play that advanced Wagner to third, Jacob Payne singled to right center to drive in Wagner for a 1-0 lead.

Kent State answered in the top of the fifth. Nolan Belcher launched a solo home run to left center, his first of the game, tying the score 1-1. Brady Marshall followed with a single to center, moved to second on a groundout by Hunter Klotz, and scored on a double down the left field line by Micah Rienstra-Kiracofe. Luke Matthews then singled to left field to drive in Rienstra-Kiracofe, giving the Golden Flashes a 3-1 lead. Matthews was caught stealing second to end the inning.

Toledo cut the lead in the bottom of the fourth. Wagner doubled to left center, advanced to third on a flyout by Ty O’Brien, and scored on a wild pitch by Caughey to make it 3-2. Caughey responded by striking out Jacob Payne and retiring the side.

Kent State added an insurance run in the top of the seventh. After a bunt groundout by Marshall, Ripken Reese was hit by a pitch, advanced to second and third on wild pitches, and scored on a single to shortstop by Rienstra-Kiracofe, extending the lead to 4-2.

The Rockets mounted a rally in the bottom of the eighth. Cade Leonard came on in relief for the Golden Flashes with the score 4-2. Troy Sudbrook walked, Charlie Scholvin popped out, and JP Wagner was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. Ty O’Brien struck out swinging. Cade Baker then singled to center field, driving in Sudbrook to make it 4-3. Peyton Williams replaced Leonard and struck out Jacob Payne looking to end the inning with the tying run at second.

Williams pitched a scoreless ninth, striking out two of the three batters he faced. He earned his first save of the season. Brody Krzysiak had pitched a perfect seventh inning with one strikeout, and Cade Leonard recorded one strikeout in two-thirds of an inning, allowing the one earned run.

For Toledo, Hayden Frey started and allowed five hits and three earned runs over five innings, striking out five. Deron Swanson threw four innings of relief, allowing two hits and one earned run with five strikeouts. Cade Baker went 2 for 4 with an RBI for the Rockets. JP Wagner was 2 for 3 with a double and two runs scored.

The Golden Flashes improved to 39-12 overall. The Rockets fell to 28-27. Kent State won the series opener 4-3 on Thursday. The teams meet again Saturday in the series finale.

Kent State’s Rienstra-Kiracofe was 2 for 3 with two RBIs, providing the decisive hits in the fifth and seventh innings. Nolan Belcher added the solo home run and an RBI.

The game was a tight, low-scoring affair that featured strong pitching from both sides. Caughey’s no-hit bid through six innings was the key factor, as he kept the Rockets off balance and allowed Kent State to build a lead. Toledo’s bullpen held the Golden Flashes to one run over the final four innings, but the Rockets could not complete the comeback.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Kent State 8, Toledo 7. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Kent State with a 65.60 percent probability to win.