Miami University
Kent State
RedHawks Edged by Flashes, 4-3
5/8/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 8, 2010
OXFORD, Ohio - The Miami University baseball team received strong pitching and defense, but a three-run home run by Kent State in the third inning proved to be the difference as the RedHawks were unable to complete another comeback and fell, 4-3, to the Flashes Saturday evening at McKie Field at Hayden Park. Miami (22-23, 9-11 Mid-American Conference) won the series opener over Kent State (29-20, 13-7 MAC) Friday by scoring four runs in the ninth for a 10-9, walk-off victory.
KSU starter Robert Sabo (3-4) picked up the win, as he scattered 10 hits over 6.1 innings and allowed three runs with six strikeouts and a trio of walks while freshman starter Mac Thoreson (Knoxville, Tenn.) took the loss (4-4), despite another strong outing that saw him go 5.2 innings and allow four runs on nine hits with four punch-outs and a pair of free passes. Justin Gill tossed the final 2.2 innings for the Flashes, giving up no runs and just one hit en route to earning his third save of 2010.
Miami was out-hit 12-11 and stranded 11 runners while Kent State left 13 men on base in the game. Junior catcher Adam Weisenburger (Plymouth, Minn.) went 2-for-4 at the plate with a pair of RBI and a run scored while junior left fielder Kyle Weldon (Mason, Ohio) totaled three hits, including a double. Freshman first baseman Kevin Bower (Indianapolis, Ind.) and junior right fielder Adam Eaton (Springfield, Ohio) each notched a pair of hits, as well, with Eaton stretching his hit streak to 12 games. All nine Flashes recorded at least a hit.
The 'Hawks grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first inning on an infield RBI single by Weisenburger. Miami had men on the corners with one out after the base knock but back-to-back strikeouts stranded the runners. Kent State evened the score in the top of the second as three straight two-out singles allowed second baseman Evan Campbell to cross home.
A three-run round-tripper to right field by first baseman Kyle McMillen broke the tie in the top of the third, putting KSU on top, 4-1. Miami got a run back in the bottom of the inning on an RBI groundout by Weisenburger that scored junior second baseman Jon Edgington (Cincinnati, Ohio) for the second time in the game, and closed within one when Weisenburger trotted home on a double play in the fifth to make it 4-3. The Flashes looked to add an insurance run in the sixth with a man on third and two outs, but a dynamic, diving grab in left field by Weldon kept it a one-run contest.
Kent State again tried to up their advantage in the top of the ninth, loading the bases with one out, but sophomore designated hitter/reliever Jordan Jankowski (McMurray, Pa.) earned a punch-out and forced a weak pop-up to short to get out of the jam. The RedHawks received a one-out single in the bottom of the ninth from Weldon but Gill induced back-to-back fielder's choices to prevent another Miami rally and give KSU the 4-3 win.
The two sides play the rubber match of their three-game series Sunday at 1 p.m. at McKie Field at Hayden Park.
--MURedHawks.com--
