March 12, 2005
Box Score
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - In a matchup of two of the nation's top pitchers as ranked by Baseball America, the Miami RedHawks, behind a fine pitching performance by sophomore Keith Weiser (Oxford, OH/Talawanda) and freshman Connor Graham (Bowling Green, OH/St. John's Jesuit), knocked off the Alabama Crimson Tide, 5-4, at Sewell Thomas Stadium.
The game started out as predicted as Weiser and Alabama's Wade LeBlanc each struck out two in the first inning. In the second inning, the Miami bats came alive as senior Brian Canada (Fishers, IN/Hamilton Southeastern) crushed his second home run in as many weeks, taking LeBlanc over the left field scoreboard and giving Miami a 1-0 lead.
The pitching continued for the next inning and a half until the top of the fourth. Canada recorded his second hit of the game with one out and was moved over to second when Paul Frietch (Cincinnati, OH/Moeller) posted a bunt single down the third base line. The single set up Tyler Tabler who launched his first home run of the year, putting Miami up 4-0.
The Crimson Tide would cut the lead in half in the bottom of the fourth, putting together three hits. Weiser, who finished with five strikeouts in 6.2 innings, then settled in until the seventh. Alabama opened up the inning with a home run and then put together a double and a single to tie the game at 4-4.
In the ninth inning, Evan Armitage (Milford, OH/Milford) led off with a walk. It was followed up by an Alabama error on a Brandon Hillier bunt that put runners on first and second. The two moved up on a wild pitch giving Miami runner on second and third with no outs. After a controversial foul ball call that would have scored two RedHawks, junior shortstop Eric Radley (Hermitage, TN/Volunteer State CC) poked a seeing-eye single past the third baseman and shortstop to give Miami a 5-4 advantage.
That would be enough for Graham, who took over for Weiser in the seventh, and allowed just one hit in the final 2.1 innings.
Canada was the RedHawks' offensive star of the game, going 2-for-3, scoring two, homering and stealing a base.
The win is Miami's third in its last four games, moving the RedHawks to 3-5 on the year. Alabama drops to 13-4. The two teams meet again in Tuscaloosa tomorrow at 4 p.m.
