Miami University
Auburn
Auburn Nips RedHawks, 5-4, in Series Finale
3/7/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 7, 2010
AUBURN, Ala. - The Miami University baseball team received strong pitching and solid defense to help limit the Auburn Tigers to just five runs after combining for 27 the previous two days, but the RedHawks were unable to complete a late comeback and fell to the Tigers, 5-4, Sunday in the series finale at Hitchcock Field. With the win, Auburn (9-2) completed the weekend sweep of Miami (2-7).
"Auburn's a very good team, but it's something we felt two of the three were very winnable games and we really have nothing to show for it," head coach Dan Simonds said. "I like the way we're playing, love our effort and the way we're coming to the yard with a sense of purpose, but we've got to do some things to win those games late."
Junior catcher Adam Weisenburger (Plymouth, Minn.) led the 'Hawks at the dish, going 3-for-4 and coming a triple shy of the cycle while sophomore Jordan Jankowski (McMurray, Pa.), who played first base for the first time in his collegiate career, had a pair of hits, including his first-career home run, with two RBI. Auburn first baseman Hunter Morris notched four hits with a pair of RBI while centerfielder Creede Simpson had a trio of hits to spur the Tigers' offense, which out-hit Miami 15-9.
The RedHawks received a strong outing from freshman right-hander Brooks Fiala (Carmel, Ind.), who tossed a career-long 6.1 innings and allowed just four runs with a strikeout and a walk, despite suffering the loss (0-1), while freshman reliever Mac Thoreson (Knoxville, Tenn.) threw the final 1.1 frames and did not allow a run with one punch-out. Auburn starter Cole Nelson (3-0) earned the win, going seven innings and conceding two runs with eight strikeouts while Zach Blatt earned his first save of 2010, despite giving up two runs.
"Brooks Fiala threw a gem against what I think is one of the best hitting teams in the country," Simonds said. "Tyler (Melling) did that as well (on Friday)."
For the first time all weekend Miami scored first, as Weisenburger drilled his first round-tripper of the year down the right field line to put the 'Hawks up 1-0 in the first frame. The lead was short-lived however, as Morris clubbed a two-run blast in the bottom of the inning. Right fielder Tony Caldwell's first home run of the year then gave Auburn a 3-1 advantage in the second stanza.
Back-to-back singles by freshman third baseman Cory Klenke (Coldwater, Ohio) and junior shortstop Ryan Kaup (Chandler, Ariz.) in the top of the fourth made it a one-run ballgame, as Klenke advanced to second on a wild pitch and came home on Kaup's base knock to centerfield.
Fiala kept the Tigers' bats at bay until the seventh inning when back-to-back triples by designated hitter Kevin Patterson and pinch hitter Dan Gamache helped Auburn plate a pair of runs to put the Tigers up 5-2. Miami responded in the top of the eighth inning however, as Jankowski belted a two-run homer off the batter's eye in dead center field to again make it a one-run contest at 5-4.
After the RedHawks used a double play to keep the deficit at one in the bottom of the eighth, Miami was unable to complete the comeback in the ninth as Blatt put the 'Hawks down in order to secure the 5-4 Auburn win.
The RedHawks remain down south for their next games, as Miami travels on to Florida for the RussMatt Invitational from March 9-13 for its spring break trip. The 'Hawks begin a six-game, five-day stint Tuesday, March 9 against Lehigh at 11 a.m. in Lakeland, Fla. at Henley Field.
--MURedHawks.com--
