May 20, 2006
Box Score
AKRON, Ohio - A four-run eighth inning pulled Miami out of a 1-0 deficit and sparked the RedHawks (30-23, 16-10 MAC) to a 5-2 win over the University of Akron Zips (15-35, 8-17 MAC) in game one of a doubleheader on Saturday. The RedHawks have now won 13 of their last 14 and close out the regular season with game two of the doubleheader beginning at 3:45 p.m. Miami has already qualified for the Mid-American Conference Tournament, which will be hosted by Kent State from May 24-27.
Akron jumped on the board first with a single run in the bottom of the third inning. With runners on first and third and two outs, senior Graham Taylor (Villa Hills, Ky.) balked, advancing both runners for a 1-0 Akron lead.
A double to lead off the top of the eighth inning by junior Ryne Robinson (Toledo, Ohio) sparked a four-run rally as the RedHawks took a 4-1 lead. A sacrifice bunt by sophomore Evan Armitage (Milford, Ohio) and a single by junior Brandon Hillier (Hinsdale, Ill.) combined to plate Robinson with Miami's first run of the afternoon. After a two-out walk to junior Jeff Carroll (Columbus, Ohio) put runners on first and second, freshman Jordan Petraitis (Canal Fulton, Ohio) laced a double to right that scored Hillier for Miami's first lead of the game and put runners on second and third for senior Will Reynolds (Brownsburg, Ind.), who followed with a line drive single up the middle that scored both runners.
A two-out single to left by Akron's Kurt Davidson off reliever Jeff Day (West Chester, Ohio) cut Miami's lead in half as Ryan Frazee came in to score from second base. The run was charged to Connor Graham (Bowling Green, Ohio), who walked Frazee to lead off the inning before being lifted in favor of Day.
The RedHawks added an insurance run in the top of the ninth with Robinson leading the charge again. After he reached to start the inning on an error and advanced to third on a single by Armitage, Robinson scampered home when Hillier rolled into a 6-4-3 double play, giving Miami a 5-2 edge.
Day tossed the game's final two innings and surrendered just two hits to pick up his second save of the season and preserve the victory for Taylor, who went 7.0 innings and allowed one run on seven hits while striking out four to improve to 7-5. Frank Turocy was charged with loss as he went 7.2 and allowed four runs on seven hits.
