Miami University
Ohio State
Baseball Drops Nailbiter To Ohio State, 3-2
5/17/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 17, 2005
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Miami University (34-14) committed five errors and squandered a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the seventh at Bill Davis Stadium, as Ohio State (32-16) knocked off the RedHawks 3-2. Combined with an identical, 3-2 loss to Northern Illinois on Sunday (May 15), Miami has now lost consecutive games for the first time since March 18-19 when the Red and White were defeated by Rhode Island and Illinois.
A single by senior Michael Moljewski (Shelby Twp., Mich.) gave the RedHawks a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning. With one out, Moljewski hit a flare into shallow left centerfield that allowed classmate Paul Frietch (Cincinnati, Ohio) to score from second base.
Ohio State got that run right back in the home half of the inning. Jason Zoeller scored from third when senior John Slone's (Cincinnati, Ohio) throw to second, trying to retire a would be base stealer, skipped into centerfield.
Frietch gave the RedHawks their second lead of the game when he lined a single up the middle that scored Slone from second in the top of the sixth. Slone reached base with a two-out single and advanced to second on a single by senior Brian Canada (Fishers, Ind.).
With senior Brad Bachman (Harrison, Ohio) on in relief of starter Jeff Day (West Chester, Ohio) for Miami in the bottom of the seventh, the Buckeyes managed a run on two hits, tying the game 2-2. Day was in line for the win after he went 5.0 innings and gave up one run one five hits but neither he nor Bachman would factor in the decision.
Freshman Connor Graham (Bowling Green, Ohio) came on to pitch for Miami in the bottom of the ninth and allowed the Buckeyes to load the bases with just one out before giving way to junior lefthander Sam Shorts (Glen Ellyn, Ill.).
Miami then made a defensive maneuver, bringing senior David Franco (Powell, Ohio) in to serve as a fifth infielder in place of centerfielder Jason Brown (Fairfield, Ohio). The unorthodox switch was all-for-not as Matt Angle lofted a sacrifice fly to deep centerfield that plated Jedidiah Stephen from third with the winning run.
Graham was saddled with the loss, dropping to 4-5 on the season, while Rory Meister picked up the win and moved to 4-0.
Miami returns to action on Wednesday with a rare day-night doubleheader against two different opponents. The RedHawks will host Xavier at 1 p.m. before traveling to Wright State for a 6:30 p.m. contest with the Raiders.
Junior Matt Long (Granville, Ohio) will start game one for the RedHawks while freshman Matt Erwood (Atlanta, Ga.) toes the rubber in game two.
Notes: Miami has lost consecutive games for the first time since March 18-19.
