Miami Ohio University Athletics
Baseball Team Wins MAC Tournament Championship! Headed to NCAAs
5/20/2000 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
 |
KENT, OHIO (May 20)--As the cliche goes, the third time was a charm for Miami University's baseball team. Making their third consecutive appearance in the MAC Tournament championship game, the RedHawks claimed their first tournament title under fourth-year head coach Tracy Smith by defeating Ball State 16-7 Saturday afternoon.
Miami advances to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1983. This is the sixth NCAA trip for the RedHawks. Pairings for next weekend's NCAA Regionals will be announced at 3 p.m. Monday, May 22 on ESPN. Dates for the 16 four-team regionals are Friday through Sunday, May 26-28.
After opening up a three-run lead in the first inning, Miami sent an impressive seven runners across the plate in the second inning to take a 10-0 lead. A two-run home run by Bobby Barnes highlighted the seven-run inning.
Miami went on to score three more runs in the top of the third inning before Ball State plated two in the bottom of the inning.
The Cardinals added two more runs in the fourth and three in the seventh, while the RedHawks tagged on one run in the sixth and two in the seventh.
On the mound, Billy Kieninger pitched a complete game, giving up 13 hits, walking two and striking out four.
Nine RedHawks tallied two or more hits. Leading the way for Miami was John Lackaff, who was 3-for-4 with three runs, and Clark Mace and George Stegmiller, who each went 3-for-5. Mace also scored two runs.
Lackaff earned tournament Most Valuable Player honors, while Tom Yost, Joe Spain and Barnes were named to the MAC all-tournament team.
