March 5, 2005
Box Score
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Miami baseball team broke out of a four-game losing streak at Louisville, scoring three unanswered runs to climb out of a 2-0 hole and beat the Cardinals 3-2 at Cardinal Stadium.
After getting off to a shaky start, giving up two runs in the first three innings to Louisville - one of which was unearned - sophomore left-hander Keith Weiser (Oxford, OH/Talawanda) settled down and found his grove. Weiser then pitched 3.1 innings of scoreless baseball, striking out three, while the Miami offense came alive.
The scoring started in the fifth inning when senior first baseman Paul Frietch (Cincinnati, OH/Moeller) connected on his first home run of the year, sending the ball deep into the furthest depths of right center field and cutting the Louisville lead in half.
From there it looked like Miami would struggle to tie the game as it scratched out only two hits over the next two innings off Louisville starter B.J. Rosenberg. Rosenberg, who finished allowing just five hits and struck out eight in eight innings, did allow Miami a chance in the eighth inning, hitting junior centerfielder Jason Brown (Fairfield, OH/Fairfield) with a pitch. Brown would score two batters later with two outs when senior catcher John Slone (Cincinnati, OH/St. Xavier) looped a high pop up to shallow center field. Brown, who was running on contact, circled the bases from first base on the single as the Cardinal centerfielder lost track of the play and held on to the ball.
After a Cardinal pitching change in the ninth inning, the RedHawks looked to complete the come-from-behind win as senior outfielder Sam Sellery (Carmel, IN/Cathedral) singled up the middle and was then pinch ran for by senior infielder Courtney Campbell (Evansville, IN/North). After Campbell moved up on a ground out by junior Eric Radley (Hermitage, TN/Volunteer St. CC), sophomore Brandon Hillier (Hinsdale, IL/Central) drove him in with what would be the winning run, doubling up the left center gap. The RBI was Hillier's first of the year.
Freshman righthander Conner Graham (Bowling Green, OH/St. John's Jesuit) picked up the win for the RedHawks, going the final 2.2 innings, allowing one hit and striking out four for his first career win (1-1).
Frietch and Hillier led all RedHawks, each going 2-for-4 from the plate with an RBI. Frietch also added his first stolen base of the year.
Miami (1-4), and Louisville (5-3) go head-to-head again tomorrow afternoon in a doubleheader at Cardinal Stadium, starting at noon.
