Miami University
Buffalo
RedHawks Unable to Complete Comeback at Buffalo
5/14/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 14, 2010
BUFFALO, N.Y. - The Miami University baseball team fell behind host Buffalo 9-0 through four innings Friday at Amherst Audubon Field and clawed back to within two late, but was unable to catch the Bulls, ultimately falling, 16-10, in the series opener between the teams. The RedHawks (25-24, 10-12 Mid-American Conference) suffered just their fourth loss ever against Buffalo (21-26, 7-15 MAC) in 30 meetings.
UB starter Chaz Mye (4-6) earned the win, as he kept Miami hitless through the first four innings and threw 5.2 frames while allowing four runs on six hits with nine strikeouts and a pair of walks. Freshman starter Mac Thoreson (Knoxville, Tenn.) suffered the loss (4-5), as he gave up nine runs (eight earned) on eight hits with three punch-outs and two walks in just 3.1 innings of work.
Miami was out-hit 18-13, while a 2-for-4 showing from junior catcher Adam Weisenburger (Plymouth, Minn.) paced the 'Hawks, as he totaled three RBI, scored twice and smashed his fifth home run of the season. Junior third baseman Brad Gschwind (Cincinnati, Ohio) added a pair of RBI for Miami, as well, while junior center fielder Adam Eaton (Springfield, Ohio) stretched his hit streak to a career-best 16 games with a single in the seventh. Center fielder Adam Skonieczki led the Bulls at the plate, going 4-for-5 with six RBI and two runs scored, coming a triple shy of the cycle, while shortstop Jacob Rosenbeck went 2-for-3 with a trio of RBI and runs scored each.
Buffalo jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning, as a fielding error and a double registered the first run while a three-run blast by Skonieczki capped the outburst. The Bulls made it 7-0 in the second with three more runs, as a flyball was lost in the sun that turned into a double while first baseman Rob Lawler followed with a double off the wall to notch the first tally. After two outs, a hit by pitch and a pair of RBI singles plated the final two runs of the frame.
UB continued to tack on the runs in the fourth inning with a two-run round-tripper to right by Rosenbeck, upping the margin to 9-0, but Miami finally got to Mye in the sixth, as all nine RedHawks came to the plate. Three straight singles sent junior second baseman Jon Edgington (Cincinnati, Ohio) home while a double to left center by sophomore designated hitter Jordan Jankowski (McMurray, Pa.) scored the second run. A sac fly to right by Gschwind made it 9-3 while a single up the middle by freshman left fielder Brooks Fiala (Carmel, Ind.) completed the four-run frame.
RBI singles by Skonieczki and right fielder Charlie Karstedt in the bottom of the sixth pushed UB's lead back to seven but Miami responded in the next half inning with five more runs. Weisenburger belted a three-run bomb over the right field wall while a double by Gschwind and a chopper over the third baseman by junior shortstop Ryan Kaup (Chandler, Ariz.) drove in the final two runs to make it an 11-9 contest.
The Bulls grabbed those five runs back on five hits in the bottom of the eighth to once more up their advantage to seven. In the bottom of the ninth, the RedHawks filled the bags with no outs, but a double play killed the rally despite scoring a run. Buffalo recorded the final out via strikeout to earn the 16-10 win.
The RedHawks and Bulls square off again Saturday at 1 p.m. at Amherst Audubon Field in the middle game of their three-game set.
--MURedHawks.com--
