The Kent State baseball team will look to win the 2025 MAC Tournament this week in Avon, Ohio. The Flashes are looking to return to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2018.
Kent State, led by all time winningest coach in program history Jeff Duncan, will begin the tournament Thursday at 6pm at Crushers Stadium, against either Ball State, Bowling Green or Toledo, based on Wednesday’s results. Ball State and Eastern Michigan play at 12:30pm and Bowling Green and Toledo play at 6pm Wednesday. The double elimination tournament will use reseeding so the opponent will not be determined until after Wednesday’s games. The game will be televised live on ESPN+ and the Kent State radio network will have all KSU games broadcasted live.
Kent State clinched their 17th regular season MAC title at Eastern Michigan last weekend after taking two out of three from the Eagles. The Flashes shared the regular season championship with Miami, and earned the number two seed.
Kent State has one of the best offenses in the country this season. The Flashes are fourth in the country in runs at 519, good for an average of 9.8 per game. They are 14th in batting average at .316, and eighth in doubles with 126. Third basemen and MAC Player of the Year Hayden Jatczak is tied for the NCAA lead with 28 doubles, with Kaleb Freeman from Georgia State. Jatczak is two shy of the tying the Kent State single season doubles record.
Kent State can beat you with power or speed, as their 126 stolen bases are 52 more than the second place team in the MAC, Akron with 74.
With wind blowing in, rain and chilly temperatures expected all week, it’s a good thing that Kent State possesses an offense capable of scoring in many ways.
GFR talked to the voice of the Kent State baseball team Dane Richardson about the prolific Flashes’ offense.
“It’s honestly amazing knowing that they are never out of a game even if they get down by a healthy margin”, Richardson remarked. “You can go through 1-9 and find elite power, speed and bat for ball skills, and a bench that can produce at the right time. Usually great pitching wins these tournaments, but Kent State could hit their way to a title as well.”
Kent State has one of the best combinations in the country with Jatczak and senior outfielder Jake Casey. Jatczak is batting .384 with those 28 doubles, with 14 home runs and 78 RBI. His 78 RBI lead the league and are nine more than the next hitter. He also leads the league in total bases and slugging percentage.
Casey, who easily could have been MAC Player of the Year as well, the son of ex big leaguer and media personality Sean Casey has returned from his Tommy John injury last year and has been dynamic as well. Casey is batting .355 with 17 HR and 55 RBI. Casey, seemingly always coming through with clutch hits, also has 20 steals, and is all hustle all the time.
It’s far from a two man band for the Flashes though. Their lineup grinds opposing pitchers with their 1-9 approach, and their two strike hitting is very tough. On any given day, seven or eight of the starters can be batting over .300.
Pitching wise, the Flashes will rely on starters Jacob Bean, Gavin Jones and veterans Peyton Cariaco, Benny Roebuck, Caden Leonard and Eric Chalus out of the bullpen. Rocco Bernadina looked solid Saturday in a starting role at EMU.
Playing from in front, and getting some length out of Jones and Bean will be huge this week if the Flashes want to advance. At times, depth has been an issue as the Flashes have only trusted so many pitchers. Closer Cariaco has been taxed at times pitching multiple innings, including three plus Thursday at EMU.
Kent State lost a recruiting battle to Alabama on Jones (6-1, 5.77 ERA) coming out of North Royalton High School, but the Flashes got him back from out of the portal and he’s been solid helping solidify the weekend rotation.
Bean (6-2, 4.02 ERA), from Cardinal High School is super competitive with a great arm and has been solid all season as well. After only pitching nine innings last year its a credit to Bean and the coaching staff for his development.
We talked more with Richardson about the keys to this week and the Flashes coming out with a tournament championship and here were some of his keys:
- “Getting some length out of Bean and Jones. If you can save some pitching for later in the tournament, they’ll be in good shape.”
- “RUN, RUN RUN. Part of what makes Kent State so good is they steal a ton of bases, top 20 in the country. If they can turn 1st and 2nd into 2nd and 3rd, teams will have issues.”
- “The bottom of the lineup has to give you some big, clutch at bats. They have all year. Pitchers are going to be very cautious I would assume around Kent State’s 1-5. If the bottom of the lineup can turn it over to the top with runners on, the Flashes could score in bunches per usual.”
COVAS BACK: Outfielder Alex Covas returned to action this weekend in left field after missing the last several weeks with a broken bone in his left hand. The transfer from Youngstown State and Walsh Jesuit product had been a key contributor for the Flashes, batting .365, and a perfect 12/12 on steal attempts. His .365 average is fifth in the league. Typically batting in the 9th spot, Covas is able to lengthen the lineup with several attributes of a top of the order hitter, while also playing a solid left field.
SOLITARIA BANGED UP: Freshman phenom, MAC Freshman of the Year and an all league 1st Teamer, Sawyer Solitaria suffered a nasty collision and fall Friday at Eastern. Going back on a ball in left field, Solitaria collided face first with the wooden wall at Oestrike Stadium. A scene so bad that the Eastern ESPN+ crew wouldn’t show a replay on, Solitaria, after several minutes was able to get up under his own power. Solitaria received stitches below his eye and on his chin after the game.
Solitaria, a St. Ignatius product has been a fixture in the Flashes lineup as a true freshman, he’s hitting .317 with eight home runs, 61 RBI and 10 steals in 12 tries. Bouncing back between first base and left field (Covas injury), Solitaria showcased his power in the first series of the year, going opposite field with one home run. Solitaria has big time power, and was a outstanding pitcher at Ignatius as well. His status for the tournament is unclear, but KSU is hopeful he will be ready to go in the middle of the lineup.
OTHER NEWCOMERS: In addition to Covas from Youngstown State, and Solitaria as a true freshmen, several other new faces this year have positively impacted the Flashes. Jatczak came from D2 Saginaw Valley State where he was a First Team All-American and GLIAC Player of the Year, in addition to being a top pitcher, although he has given up pitching for now. Jatczak is among the best pure hitters KSU has had and is a pro prospect.
Shortstop Luke Matthews, 2nd Team All-MAC, came from Palomar College in California, and Duncan calls him the “quarterback” of the defense, and someone who makes others better. True freshmen Micah Kiracofe has started every game in center field after a decorated High School career in Indianapolis and is an elite athlete.
LOCAL GUYS: Solitaria is from Olmsted Falls and Ignatius, Covas prepped at Walsh Jesuit, Jones at North Royalton, Bean at Cardinal High School, Ben Rabatin from Normandy HS in Parma, and Matt Thompson from Wadsworth are some of the local Northeast Ohio guys you may see contribute this week.
Ian Cain, a 2025 graduate from Avon High School is committed to the Flashes and will hopefully have a chance to play at his home field next year with the Flashes.
ALL-MAC: The All-MAC teams were announced Tuesday. As expected Jatczak, Casey and Bean were all named first team along with Solitaria. Jatczak was named MAC Player of the Year, the first for Kent State since George Roberts in 2012. As mentioned, Solitaria was named Freshman of the Year.
Matthews was named second team. First basemen Hunter Klotz was named to the all-defensive team.
One snub was definitely catcher Brody Williams. Williams is batting .356 with seven home runs and 51 RBI, and is one of the top defensive catchers in the league and country, with the ability to control a running game with his strong arm.
IF YOU GO: Ticket options for both all-tournament passes and one day tickets can be purchased here. The official bracket is here.
IF YOU DON’T: ESPN+ will stream every game. Also, the Kent State Radio Network led by Richardson will have audio of every Kent State game.
TOP COACHES | Rich Maloney – Ball State, Jeff Duncan – Kent State
Maloney: The all-time winningest coach at Ball State, including two different stints, Maloney has led the Cardinals to regular season championships five times and one tourney title. Ball State has produced numerous professional and MLB players and next to Kent State, Maloney’s Cards are always a tough out.
Duncan: Becoming the all-time winningest coach at Kent State this season, Duncan along with long time pitching guru Mike Birkbeck, continue to compete year in and year out for titles. Bouncing back from an underachieving, injury riddled 2024, Duncan has his team poised for another NCAA bid.
Top Hitter | Hayden Jatczak – Kent State: The transfer from Saginaw Valley State, all Jatczak does is hit. A doubles machine, Jatczak uses all parts of the field, rarely swings and misses and is a very tough out. A top pitcher at Saginaw Valley, Jatczak has traded in pitching to focus on hitting, and opposing pitchers are left to deal with it. The 2025 MAC Player of the Year, Jatczak is one of the top transfers in program history.
Top Pitcher | Cooper Katskee – Miami: taking over as their Friday guy midway through the year, Katskee, an Indiana transfer, has been super consistent, at 10-1 on the season with a 2.86 ERA and two complete games.
Top Relievers | Carson Byers, Miami, Peyton Cariaco, Kent State, Connar Penrod, Bowling Green: Byers was 2-2 with a 2.81 ERA and 5 saves after being named MAC Reliever of the Year last year. Cariaco made 24 appearances this year and had 10 saves. Penrod was lights out for the Falcons going 5-2 with a 1.78 ERA and 12 saves, earning 1st Team All-MAC.
Top Pro Prospect | Jake Casey – Kent State: Casey has all the tools, prodigious power, speed, an arm and big time bloodlines. Returning from injury last year, Casey has been exactly what Kent State has needed. The Flashes haven’t had an MLB position player since Travis Shaw, Casey could be next.
Top Catcher | Garrett Wright – Bowling Green, Wright, the Massillon Jackson product, from BGSU is batting .411 and is the heart and soul of the Falcons. He was also named Defensive Player of the Year. He played five positions this season, with a .991 fielding percentage and only had three errors.
THE FIELD
#1 MIAMI: Under the direction of second year Head Coach Brian Smiley, the 2025 MAC Coach of the Year, the culture has changed at Miami and it resulted in their first regular season championship in 20 years. Miami won every MAC series this year behind strong pitching and an improved offense that led the league in average in conference games only. Miami is experienced, with the core of their team having been together for a few years.
#2 KENT STATE: Tradition rich Kent State is back at the top of the standings, using one of the top offenses in the country, and the emergence of two solid weekend starters. If their pitching and defense hold up this week, they may be headed back to the NCAA for the first time since 2018.
#3 BALL STATE: You can never count out Ball State under Maloney, with all of the big games they’ve been in through the years. Without a bye it will be tougher, but if they can get some length from their starting pitching, nobody wants to see them in a big game. Their defensive fielding percentage is tops in the nation, which could loom large this week.
#4 BOWLING GREEN: Battling major injuries this season, BGSU is starting to get healthy at the right time. Under the direction of former MAC Pitcher of the Year and Kent Stater Kyle Hallock, the Falcons are as talented as anybody, and will look to make a run in Avon. Having gone through much adversity this year due to injuries, they feel like they are prepared for tournament baseball.
#5 TOLEDO: The Rockets are the hottest team in the league, having won 8 of their last 9, and having just scored 48 runs in three games this past weekend. Led by MAC POW and Avon native Troy Sudbrook, the Rockets look to pair the top pitching staff in the league with a soaring offense, and make a run in Lorain County. They went 12-3 in their final 15 MAC games, bouncing back from a 5-10 start.
#6 EASTERN MICHIGAN: The Eagles qualified based on the results of last weekend over their directional Michigan brothers. EMU battled Kent State tough all weekend and is back in the tournament for the first time since 2018 under second year coach Robbie Britt.
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