Feb. 18, 2011
Box Score
CHARLESTON, S.C. -- A two-out double in the top of the 11th inning spoiled Miami's 2011 season opener Friday afternoon as Marshall escaped with a 4-3 win in the College of Charleston Invitational. The RedHawks had rallied from a 3-0 deficit with a run in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings.
Kyle Weldon, Ryan Kaup and Brad Gschwind each had two of Miami's nine hits on the afternoon. Starter Mac Thoreson pitched into the seventh, allowing five hits and just two earned runs, while striking out five.
In the 11th, RedHawk Sam Dawes (0-1) fanned the first two batters before allowing a single to center by Ben Jurevicius. Victor Gomez followed by driving a 2-1 pitch into the gap in left center to plate the winning run.
Down 3-0 in the seventh, Miami got on the board on a two-run double by Ryan Brenner. The senior plated Gschwind and Ryan Curl, who had singled and reached on a fielder's choice, respectively.
Miami was down to its last strike before rallying to even the game at 3-3. Kaup led off with a double down the left field line and was sacrificed to second. After a strike out, Brenner kept the inning alive by walking, then stealing second. On a 1-2 count to the next batter, the pitch was in the dirt and rolled away from the catcher, allowing Kaup to come home.
Marshall jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second inning. A leadoff double was followed by a single to center, putting runners at second and third. Nick Gomez dribbled the ball to third, scoring the run and reaching first on an error. The Thundering Herd threatened for more, loading the bases after that, but Thoreson recorded a strikeout and two flyouts to end the rally. The inning ended on a long drive to right center that Ryan Curl was able to run down on the warning track.
An unearned run in fifth made the score 2-0. The inning started with Gschwind making a diving stop of a grounder to third, but his throw to first was offline, putting a runner at second. After a single, a sacrifice fly by Isaac Ballou brought G Stafford home from third.
A two-out single in the top of the seventh made the score 3-0, but relievers Matt Rosinski and Brandon Adkins kept the Herd scoreless for the next four innings. They combined for five strikeout and just two walks, scattering five hits.
"We did some good things and some not-so-good things today," Head Coach Dan Simonds said. "I liked the way we threw and competed on the mound, but we had some bad base-running mistakes. We can't afford that. It's a testament to our guys that we battled back, but we hit too many balls in the air early. We have to clean some things up because you can't win close games like that."
Miami returns to action tomorrow afternoon, taking on the host College of Charleston at 1 p.m. The Cougars are ranked 20th by Baseball America and 35th by Collegiate Baseball Magazine.
