May 11, 2010
Box Score
CINCINNATI - The Miami University baseball team used a five-run fifth inning to break open a one-run contest and received strong relief pitching over the final 4.1 frames to earn a 7-4 victory over host Cincinnati Tuesday evening at Marge Schott Stadium. With the win, the RedHawks (24-23) moved their record above .500 for the first time all season while avenging a 3-2 loss to the Bearcats (25-24) earlier this year in the Joe Nuxhall Classic title game on April 14.
Four Miami hurlers combined for 11 strikeouts while the RedHawks' three relievers fired nine of the 11 and did not walk a single batter. Freshman reliever Brandon Adkins (Ona, W.Va.) earned his first collegiate win (1-0), tossing three innings while allowing just a run on three hits and tying a career high with five strikeouts. UC starter Zach Isler (0-3) suffered the loss, giving up a pair of runs in two innings of work on four hits with two strikeouts and walks each. Sophomore designated hitter/reliever Jordan Jankowski (McMurray, Pa.) struck out the side in the ninth despite giving up a single to earn his ninth save of the season.
The 'Hawks held a slim, 11-10 edge in hits with five going for extra-bases (three home runs). Junior left fielder Kyle Weldon (Mason, Ohio) led the way going 3-for-4 with a trio of RBI and a run scored while coming a triple shy of the cycle, including his eighth longball of the season. Junior center fielder Adam Eaton (Springfield, Ohio) notched a pair of hits, including a two-bagger, which extended his hitting streak to 14 games, tying a career long, and also scored two runs, while freshman catcher Nate Bowles (Dayton, Ohio) also had two hits and scored once.
Miami jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning, as Eaton led off with a double into the right field corner, stole third and on the theft the Cincinnati catcher's throw sailed into the outfield, allowing Eaton to trot home. Jankowski then crushed his eighth round-tripper of the season to right-center field three batters later.
The Bearcats got one run back in the bottom of the second as right fielder Jake Proctor popped up a bunt toward the mound with a man on third, but senior starting pitcher Reece Asbury (Centerville, Ohio) was unable to snag it on the fly as it rolled out of his glove and second baseman T.J. Jones beat the throw home.
The RedHawks then busted the game open in the fifth frame, scoring five runs as all nine 'Hawks came to the plate. Weldon opened the outburst with a three-run blast over the right field wall while freshman first baseman Kevin Bower (Indianapolis, Ind.) went yard to right field two batters later for his fifth homer of 2010. Three straight singles then plated Miami's final run of the inning to put the Red and White on top 7-1.
UC cut the deficit to four with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth stanza and made it 7-4 in the eighth on doubles by catcher Jimmy Jacquot and designated hitter Kendal Coleman. Cincinnati had a man on third with two outs later in the eighth but senior reliever Kyle Donawerth (Cincinnati, Ohio) entered and fanned a Bearcat to close out the inning.
Jankowski then rung-up the first two Bearcats in the ninth looking before giving up a single, but finished off the game with a swinging strikeout to lock up the 7-4 Miami win and the save. His nine saves tie for second in Miami single-season history while he now has 14 career saves, which also ties for second on the school's career saves list.
The RedHawks and Bearcats meet again Wednesday in Oxford with first pitch set for 6 p.m. at McKie Field at Hayden Park.
--MURedHawks.com--
