Miami University
Furman
RedHawks Rally to Down Furman 6-4
2/29/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 29, 2004
GREENVILLE, S.C. - In the rubber match of a three-game set at Furman University Miami rallied late after blowing a 4-2 lead and defeated the Paladins 6-4 thanks to the heroics of junior designated hitter Paul Frietch's two-run homerun in the top of the ninth inning.
The RedHawks squandered the lead twice as they jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning and a 4-2 lead after five innings. The RedHawks jumped out to the 1-0 lead in opening frame thanks to a pair of Furman errors. The lead didn't hold up long as sophomore lefthander Sam Shorts let in a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning on four hits. After that Shorts settled in a blanked the Paladins over the next six innings giving up just one more hit.
In the fourth and fifth innings the Miami bats came alive again racking up three runs and taking a 4-2 lead. The key hits came as Frietch and junior first baseman Mike Ferris had RBI hits and senior leftfielder Ryan Edginton drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.
After pulling Shorts in the top of the eighth, senior Chad Reineke walked two and while another Paladin reached base on an error by junior shortstop Courtney Campbell. After replacing Reineke, sophomore righthander Matt Long came in and retired the next two batters on strikeouts. As it looked as if the RedHawks were about to get out of the jam, Long unfurled a pair of wild pitches that allowed Furman to tie the game at 4-4. Long immediately settled down and preserved the tie, striking out the next batter.
In the top of the ninth sophomore centerfielder Jason Brown drew a leadoff walk. Junior catcher John Slone then sacrificed Brown into scoring position, giving the RedHawks' hero Paul Frietch the chance to win the game. Freitch took the first pitch from Furman's Calvin Hurst and drove it opposite field over the fence to give Miami a 6-4 lead.
Long continued his success in the bottom of the ninth getting the leadoff hitter to foul out before allowing a single. Long induced a game-ending double play that moved the RedHawks back to .500 on the year.
Seven of the RedHawks' nine starters collected hits in the game led by Frietch, Geoff Orr and Brian Canada who each collected a pair of hits. Frietch added a double and three runs scored to his totals. Long collected the win for Miami and improved to 1-0 on the season.
The RedHawks next play Wednesday afternoon Hayden Park in Oxford with a single game versus Xavier University at 2 p.m.
