May 2, 2010
Box Score
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - Junior left fielder Kyle Weldon crushed a two-run home run in the fifth inning to break a 3-3 tie and the Miami University baseball team added two more solo home runs later in the game to help pad its lead en route to an 8-6 win over Bowling Green Sunday at rainy Steller Field in the series finale. The RedHawks' (21-22, 8-10 Mid-American Conference) victory snapped the Falcons' (21-18-1, 11-7 MAC) 11-game winning streak and nine-game MAC win streak.
Weldon (Mason, Ohio), along with junior right fielder Adam Eaton (Springfield, Ohio) and junior second baseman Jon Edgington (Cincinnati, Ohio) each notched a pair of RBI, with the latter two each scoring two runs as well. Eaton also clubbed his team-leading 11th homer of the season in the contest and stole two bases, while junior third baseman Brad Gschwind (Cincinnati, Ohio) collected a trio of hits and scored a run.
Miami earned the win despite being out-hit, 10-9, but stole four bases and threw out the Falcons' lone attempted steal. Left fielder Dennis Vaughn led BGSU on offense, going 3-for-4, including a pair of four-baggers, with two RBI and two runs scored each.
Freshman starter Mac Thoreson (Knoxville, Tenn.) picked up his third straight win (4-3) for the RedHawks, tossing 7.1 innings and allowing five runs on nine hits with five strikeouts and a trio of walks. Falcon starter Kevin Leady (6-2) suffered the loss-his first in MAC play-as he allowed seven runs (six earned) on eight hits with six punch-outs and two walks. Sophomore designated hitter/reliever Jordan Jankowski (McMurray, Pa.) earned his seventh save of the year by tossing the final 1.1 innings, which ties him for fifth on Miami's single-season saves list.
Miami grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first inning as Edgington walked, stole second and scampered home on a fielding error by the BGSU shortstop, but the lead was short-lived as a single followed by a homer to center from center fielder T.J. Blanton-his second of the series-to start the bottom of the frame put the Falcons on top by a run.
A sac fly by Eaton in the top of the second evened the score but a solo shot to right by designated hitter Matthew Pitzulo in the fourth again put BGSU up one, 3-2. The 'Hawks responded in the next half inning, however, plating three runs to grab a 5-3 advantage. Edgington singled in sophomore center fielder Ryan Brenner (Kirtland, Ohio) for the first tally while Weldon followed with his two-run blast to right-center field to break the tie. The longball was his seventh of the campaign.
Junior catcher Adam Weisenburger (Plymouth, Minn.) then led off the sixth inning with his fourth round-tripper of 2010 to up the margin to three while Eaton started the seventh by drilling a home run of his own-his second of the weekend--over the trees in right-center to make the score 7-3. Bowling Green got one run back in the bottom of the seventh when Vaughn turned on a pitch and sent it over the right-field wall and closed the gap to two on a sac fly in the eighth stanza.
In the ninth, Miami regained its three-run lead at 8-5 on a sac fly to left field by Edgington that allowed Eaton, who was plunked and stole two bases, to score from third. Jankowski, who also recorded the final out in the eighth inning, forced two quick lineouts to the outfield to begin the bottom of the ninth. He then surrendered a solo home run to Vaughn-his second of the game and third of the series-but induced a groundout to the shortstop to secure the 8-6 win and prevent a Bowling Green sweep.
The RedHawks have the week off for final exams before continuing MAC action by hosting East Division leader Kent State in a three-game series from Friday, May 7 to Sunday, May 9. First pitch Friday and Saturday is set for 6 p.m. while Sunday's contest begins at 1 p.m., all at McKie Field at Hayden Park.
--MURedHawks.com--
