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West Virginia (9-5) completed the series sweep over Kent State (4-10) with a 9-7 win during Sunday’s series finale at Monongalia County Ballpark.

The Mountaineers and Golden Flashes engaged in a back-and-forth battle that saw 22 combined hits and 16 total runs scored, but a five-run sixth inning for West Virginia proved to be one of the biggest differences.

Junior right-hander Kade Strowd got the start for West Virginia and allowed eight hits, five earned runs, two walks and struck out five in five innings. Tyler Doanes and Kevin Brophy each homered for the Mountaineers and combined for five hits and eight RBIs.

West Virginia and Kent State each started off the game with some missed opportunities as each team stranded a runner in scoring position during the first inning.

After the Golden flashes stranded two more runners during the top half of the second, the Mountaineers scored first with a sacrifice fly from Brophy, scoring Ivan Gonzalez from third base. Prior to this, Gonzalez got on base with a single, stole second and then advanced to third on a throwing error when he stole second.

West Virginia added to its lead with a solo home run from Doanes during the bottom of the third inning, but Kent State would rally back during the top of the fourth.

Solo home runs from Pete Schuler and Nick Elsen as well as a sacrifice fly from Kevin Dobos gave the Golden Flashes a 3-2 lead over the Mountaineers. West Virginia, though, managed to tie the game up during the bottom half of the inning thanks to an RBI double from Brophy that scored Gonzalez from first base.

During the bottom of the fifth, Doanes came through again for West Virginia with an RBI double to give the Mountaineers a 4-3 lead.

The sixth inning saw plenty of action at the bats as Strowd was pulled from the game with no outs in the top of the sixth inning after he allowed a double and a walk. With two on and no outs, freshman right-hander Ryan Bergert surrendered a bunt single which loaded the bases and back-to-back sacrifice flies gave Kent State the lead back at 5-4.

West Virginia then erupted for five runs during the bottom of the sixth to take a 9-5 lead with a three-run homer from Brophy, an RBI infield single from Doanes and a sacrifice fly from Brandon White.

Kent State managed to cut West Virginia’s lead down to two runs thanks to a two-run homer from Elsen for his second of the day.

The Golden flashes stranded two runners on base during the top of the eighth after Beau Lowery retired two straight to end inning in relief for Phillip Dull, who replaced Bergert on the mound to start the inning.

Despite allowing a pair of hits during the bottom of the ninth, Sam Kessler managed to close out the game for West Virginia and competed the series sweep.

The Mountaineers will begin a two-game road series against Morehead State Tuesday at 3 p.m. ET.

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