April 25, 2009
Box Score
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio -It was another high-scoring affair at Warren E. Steller Field in Bowling Green as the Falcons (20-16; 10-6 Mid-American Conference) defeated the Miami University baseball team, 15-10. The wind was again blowing out ferociously, but pitchers on both teams were able to keep the ball in the park for the most part, allowing only five home runs after serving up 15 on Friday.
The RedHawks (20-18; 10-7 MAC) got out to an early lead on an RBI groundout by senior left fielder Chris Nadeau (Saline, Mich.) that knocked in sophomore right fielder Adam Eaton (Springfield, Ohio). The very next batter - senior catcher Eric Darlage (Powell, Ohio) - hit a wind-aided two-run home run to center field that scored senior third baseman Jordan Petraitis (Canal Fulton, Ohio) to give the RedHawks a 3-0 lead at the end of the first inning. It was the second home run in as many days for Darlage.
The Falcons tacked on one run in the bottom of the first inning to narrow the Miami lead to 3-1.
After loading the bases in the top of the second inning, senior first baseman Tommy Nurre (Cincinnati, Ohio) was hit by a pitch, allowing sophomore second baseman Jon Edgington (Cincinnati, Ohio) to score and stretching the RedHawk lead to three.
The Falcons tied the game at four runs apiece in the bottom of the second inning, keyed by a T.J. Blanton fly ball to right field that was carried over the fence by the strong Bowling Green winds for a two-run home run. Five more runs in the third - including Blanton's second home run in as many innings - gave the Falcons a 9-4 advantage.
An RBI single by Petraitis in the fourth plated Eaton and cut the Falcon lead to 9-5. A throwing error by the Falcon shortstop allowed Petraitis to score to make it a 9-6 game.
In the fifth, Eaton hit his second double of the game, a line drive to right center that scored freshman center fielder Ryan Curl (Columbus, Ohio) and brought the RedHawks within two runs of the lead.
A wild pitch by junior reliever Chase Stewart (Trenton, Ohio) gave the Falcons one run in the bottom of the fifth inning to make the score 10-7 Falcons. Bowling Green scored twice in the sixth inning to stretch their lead to five.
After a scoreless seventh from both teams, the RedHawks scored two runs in the eighth inning on RBI singles from Nadeau and Darlage that made it a 12-9 game.
The Falcons pulled away in the eighth inning on a three-run home run by Brian Hangbers that gave BGSU a 15-9 lead going into the ninth inning. Miami was able to put one more on the board in the ninth on an RBI single by Petraitis, but the RedHawks could not pull ahead of the Falcons and fell for the second straight game.
Darlage led Miami at the plate going 3-for-5 with a home run and three RBI. Petraitis also had three hits while knocking in two. Eaton recorded two hits on the day but reached base in all six plate appearances with three walks and a hit by pitch.
The RedHawks and Falcons conclude the three-game weekend series Sunday at 1 p.m. at Stellar Field.
