The Kent State Golden Flashes continued their improbable postseason run, knocking off the NCAA Tournament's No. 1 overall seed Florida and remaining alive in the College World Series with a 5-4 win in Omaha yesterday.
It wasn't without some drama, though, as Kent nearly blew a four-run lead in the final innings and needed a miracle escape after walking two Florida batters and hitting another to load the bases in the ninth. Kent reliever Josh Pierce dug the hole even deeper by falling behind Taylor Gushue 3-0, only to pull a Houdini with the help of a checked-swing appeal for strike three to earn the second out of the inning—one that wasn't so much requested but demanded by Golden Flashes head coach Scott Stricklin. That, or Stricklin's been playing too much Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney lately.