KENT — Head coach Jeff Duncan announced his team’s 2018 schedule on Wednesday. The slate features 20 home dates and an early March trip to Arkansas that will reunite both programs for the first time since the 2012 College World Series.
The Golden Flashes will once again test themselves in the early season portion of the schedule. Right out of the gate they’ll face 2017 NCAA Super Regional qualifier Sam Houston State in the season’s opening weekend (Feb.16-18). KSU will also make a March 9-11 visit to the 29-time NCAA Regional participant Arkansas Razorbacks. It will be Kent State’s first encounter with the Diamond Hogs since the 2012 College World Series opening round. Sam Houston State and Arkansas combined for 89 wins a year ago. KSU will also make trips to Tennessee for the Mule Mix Classic (Feb. 23-25), South Carolina for a three-game series against Winthrop (Mar. 2-4) and North Carolina for a three-game set against Western Carolina’s Catamounts (Mar. 16-18) – the third straight year the Golden Flashes and WCU have met in a weekend series.
“The biggest thing for us is to play good, post-season quality opponents in good NCAA Division I venues,” Duncan explained. “It not only prepares us for the grind of a 60-game season but demands we be ready to play right at the start.”
Once the season gets going, KSU has home-and-home single games scheduled with Pittsburgh, Youngstown State, Canisius and Bowling Green. They’ll also visit South Bend for a brief two-game midweek series with Notre Dame. The Golden Flashes have also signed a second two-for-one with Ohio State, meaning the Flashes visit Columbus this April as well as 2020, with the Bucks returning to Kent in 2019.
The 20-game home schedule includes three four-game homestands and a season-high six-game homestand in early May. Of the Flashes’ 20 home contests, 15 of them feature Mid-American Conference opponents including rivals Ball State and Ohio. The home season starts March 14 against Malone. Night baseball also returns to the friendly confines, with six games set to be played under the lights.
“Our guys love the feel of nighttime baseball at Schoonover Stadium. It definitely has a big game feel and we’ve always risen to the occasion in those big time ballgames,” Duncan said.
Also new in 2018 is a revamped MAC regular and post-season format. First, each league team will play all nine others over the course of the season. Previously, schools would play every team in their division and four select teams from the opposite division. Secondly, the post-season tournament field will be reduced to six. Additionally, the one and two seeds – determined by conference winning percentage and tiebreakers – will receive first round byes.
“It’s more of a reward for the two teams who post the best records over the course of a 27-game league schedule,” Duncan admitted. “I applaud the coaches and administrators in our league for working together to find something that works for everyone.”
Under Duncan, Kent State is 56-24 (.700) at home. Kent State has also been one of the nation’s best road teams over the past two seasons. Between 2016 and 2017, the Golden Flashes have posted a sparkling 42-15 record away from Portage County. That mark includes an impressive eight sweeps on the road.
“We’ve just been solid all the way around,” Duncan said. “Whether we are at home or on the road, our guys consistently bring the right mental attitude to the ballpark each and every day. We try to stay as even keel as possible. And I really think our guys have been mentally sharp on the road.”
In 2018, KSU will attempt to win at least 30 games for the 20th consecutive season. During that near two-decade stretch, KSU has eclipsed the 40-win mark five times. Kent State is averaging 37 wins per season in that span.
2018 Kent State Baseball Schedule
