Miami University
Ohio
RedHawks Complete Sweep of Ohio on Senior Day
5/22/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 22, 2010
OXFORD, Ohio - The Miami University baseball team wrapped up the regular season in dominating fashion, downing rival Ohio, 16-9, Saturday afternoon at McKie Field at Hayden Park on Senior Day to finish a three-game sweep. The sweep was the RedHawks' (28-26, 13-14 Mid-American Conference) second in league play this year and first season sweep of the Bobcats (20-33, 13-14 MAC) since 1995, when Miami won a pair of home-and-home doubleheaders.
With its win Miami ended the season in a three-way tie with Ohio and Eastern Michigan, but earned the No. 6 seed in the upcoming MAC Tournament by holding the tiebreaker over both teams. The RedHawks open the conference championship on Wednesday against third-seeded Toledo in Chillicothe, Ohio at VA Memorial Stadium.
Saturday's regular-season finale saw a bit of everything, as 14 pitchers between the teams trekked to the mound, Miami junior right fielder Adam Eaton (Springfield, Ohio) made a home run-robbing catch and the RedHawks were out-hit, despite winning by seven runs and scoring half of their 16 tallies in one inning.
Eaton also led the `Hawks on offense smacking a pair of triples, giving him eight on the year, which ties Miami's single-season record, while adding to his career triples record of 17. He also drove in four runs, scored twice, walked and was hit by a pitch all while extending his hit streak to a career-best 21 games. Junior second baseman Jon Edgington (Cincinnati, Ohio) went 3-for-4 with a pair of runs and RBI each while belting his third round-tripper of the year. Four other RedHawks had a pair of hits and at least two runs scored, as well. The `Cats totaled 15 hits to Miami's 14, as third baseman Bryan Barnes had a trio of hits and runs scored each and left fielder Robert Maddox III had two hits, two runs scored and four RBI, including his 20th homer of the year.
Ohio jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first frame for the second straight day on a sac fly to right field by Maddox but Miami quickly evened the score in the bottom of the inning as Edgington homered to left-center field. The Bobcats looked to take the lead early in the fourth as Maddox clubbed the ball deep to right field but Eaton made his spectacular catch over the wall, however Ohio grabbed a 2-1 edge later in the frame on an RBI single by pinch hitter Tyler Backstrom.
The RedHawks took the lead in the bottom of the fourth, using a four-run, two-out rally. After two quick outs, Miami registered four straight singles and capped the outburst with an RBI triple by Eaton that made the score 5-2. In the fifth inning, the `Hawks loaded the bases and upped their advantage to 6-2 on a wild pitch, but ended the frame with the bags still full.
Miami broke open the game with an eight-run sixth inning, the ninth time in 2010 the RedHawks have tallied at least seven runs in an inning. Ohio issued four walks in the frame while Miami also used four singles and a triple to score the runs. A two-out, three-RBI triple by Eaton cleared the bags while Edgington knocked in Eaton with a single to complete the outburst, putting the Red and White up 14-2. The Bobcats got four back in the seventh, sparked by a Maddox two-RBI double, but Miami put two more on the board in the home half of the stanza for a 16-6 cushion.
The four RedHawk senior hurlers that were honored prior to the game, Jamaal Hollis (Chicago, Ill.), Brandon Meister (Lincolnshire, Ill.), Reece Asbury (Centerville, Ohio) and Kyle Donawerth (Cincinnati, Ohio), closed out the win for Miami, combining to toss the final three innings. Ohio tacked on three more runs in the ninth before Donawerth entered and recorded the final two outs for the 16-9 victory. Senior designated hitter Zak Hatfield (Fort Wayne, Ind.), who had a hit and a run scored Saturday, was also recognized with the four pitchers prior to the contest.
Freshman reliever Brooks Fiala (Carmel, Ind.) earned the win (3-4), firing 2.2 scoreless innings with just two hits allowed. Junior starter Sam Dawes (Cincinnati, Ohio) allowed two runs in 3.1 innings while making his first career start and 81st career appearance, which sets a new Miami record. Bobcat reliever Michael Dillon (4-4) took the loss, giving up four runs in an inning of work.
The RedHawks now turn their attention to Toledo in the opening round of the MAC Tournament Wednesday. First pitch is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. at VA Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe. The complete tournament bracket can be found here.
--MURedHawks.com--
