May 15, 2004
Box Score
OXFORD, Ohio - The Miami (31-17, 12-6 Mid-American Conference) baseball team won a sloppy game on Saturday afternoon, 10-3, against Northern Illinois (27-24, 11-9 MAC) at McKie Field. The two teams combined for eight errors as five different RedHawks recorded multiple hits in the victory.
Two Huskie's hits in the first inning led to two runs for the visitor, but the RedHawks retaliated with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the frame to even the score, 2-2. One of the Miami runs was scored on a wild pitch while the other crossed the plate on a single up the middle by junior Brian Canada (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern).
Senior Ryan Edginton (Chester Springs, Pa./Malvern Prep) led off for the RedHawks in the fifth inning with a single, and made his way around the bases to score a run and even get another at-bat. NIU muffed a throw on Miami's next at-bat when freshman Ryne Robinson (Toledo, Ohio/Central Catholic) laid down a sacrifice bunt, and then made another error after a single by sophomore Jason Brown (Fairfield, Ohio/Fairfield) to load the bases. The two Huskies' errors along with Miami's four hits resulted in five runs, only one of which was earned, to give Miami a 7-2 lead.
Designated hitter Scott Simon broke Northern Illinois' single-season record for hits with his 77th in the sixth inning. A wicket shot through the legs of the Miami second basemen allowed Simon to advance to third and later score on an RBI single by catcher Mike Kukla.
Same as the fifth stanza, Edginton led off the sixth with a single and moved over to second on a sacrifice by Robinson. Brown then singled and junior John Slone (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Xavier) added a hit of his own, which extended his hitting streak to 25 games, to load the bases for Ferris. On a routine ground ball to the first basemen the ensuing throw home was unable to get Edington out as the run scored to give Miami an 8-3 lead.
Canada plated two more runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to give starting pitcher Graham Taylor (Villa Hills, Ky./Dixie Heights) some more insurance with a 10-3 lead. Taylor finished off the Huskies in the ninth to complete his fourth game of the season and improve to 5-5.
Tossing a solid game on the mound for Northern Illinois was southpaw Zach Minor who falls to 6-3 on the season. Minor was a victim of several errors as he went six inning for the Huskies, allowing eight runs, only three of which were earned.
The RedHawks close out their series against the Northern Illinois Huskies tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m. Miami is currently two games back of Central Michigan for the right to host the MAC Tournament.
