Miami University
Illinois State
Melling Pitches Miami to 8-1 Win
3/12/2011 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 12, 2011
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. -- When Miami needed to reverse its fortunes Saturday, it turned to its ace. Senior Tyler Melling threw seven scoreless innings to lead the RedHawks to an 8-1 victory over Illinois State at Chain O'Lakes Stadium.
The win snaps a five-game skid and improves Miami's overall record to 5-9.
Melling (4-0) allowed just two hits, while striking out five. Both of the Redbirds hits -- a double in the second and an infield single in the seventh -- came with two outs and were followed with an inning-ending play.
At the plate, Kyle Weldon was 3-for-5 with two RBIs, while Jon Edgington was 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Adam Weisenburger had one hit in only official at-bat, but scored once and drove in two.
Miami took a 1-0 lead in the second when Kevin Bower hit a sacrifice fly to center, driving in Weisenburger, who led off with a walk. The RedHawks took advantage of two Illinois State errors in the fifth to score four more runs. Miami had a runner on first with two outs when Ryan Kaup was hit by pitch. An error on Bryce Redeker's grounder to shortshop loaded the bases, setting up Weldon for a two-run single. Weisenburger followed with a two-run double down the left field line.
The RedHawks added three in the seventh, starting the frame with a single by Edgington. An errant pickoff attempt sent him to third before Kaup walked. Redeker followed with an RBI double to score Edgington before back-to-back wild pitches by Joe Claver led to two more runs.
Illinois State (9-5) broke the scoreless streak in the eight, plating one run off reliever Joe Neff. Back-to-back doubles around a pop out, made the score 8-1, then consecutive walks, one by Neff and a second by Brandon Adkins. But Adkins settled down by recording a strikeout and popout to leave the bases full of Redbirds.
Miami returns to the field on Tuesday at Xavier. The game will be the first mid-week action of the year and the first back in a Northern climate.
