April 23, 2011
Box Score
AKRON, Ohio -- Miami earned a sweep of its Mid-American Conference baseball series Saturday, winning all three games in a span of 6 hours, 31 minutes. The RedHawks finished off Friday's suspended game, 5-4 in 10 innings, then swept the doubleheader from the Zips, 4-3 and 1-0.
With the win, Miami (22-18, 10-5) moves to four games over .500 for the first time this season.
Jon Edgington had four hits and scored three times during the contests, while Bryce Redeker and Brad Gschwind also tallied three hits.
Miami led 4-2 when Friday's play was suspended and neither team could mount any offense until the bottom of the ninth. Akron's Tyler Begun tied the score at 4 with a two-out double, but was thrown out at the third.
The mistake proved costly as Miami scored the game-winner in the 10th. Kevin Bower drew a leadoff walk and was replaced by pinch runner Pat Glass. Ryan Curl bunted him into over to second, then a passed ball allowed Glass to take third. Ryan Kaup flew out to left for the sacrifce and RBI.
Seth Varner replaced starter Mac Thoreson and threw 5.2 scoreless innings before allowing the tying runs. Joe Neff gave up the game-tying double, but still earned the win to improve to 3-1. Sam Dawes got the first two outs in the bottom of the 10th before putting a pair of runners on. However, he recovered with a groundout to first to earn his fourth save.
In Saturday's regularly scheduled game, Miami broke a 3-3 tie with a run in the eighth to earn the decision. Edgington was hit by a pitch, then two outs later stole second and came home on a single by Redeker.
The RedHawks had tallied three in the first as each of the first three batters came around to score. Brenner walked, then took third when the Zips' centerfielder overran a Gschwind singled. Redeker drove in a run withe a double before groundouts by Kyle Weldon and Adam Weisenburger added to the lead.
Akron cut into the margin with a run in the first on a leadoff double and one-out single. The Zips added single runs in the third -- after another leadoff double -- and fourth to even the game.
Matt Rosinski (1-2) earned the win in relief of Tyler Melling. The junior allowed just one hit over the final four innings, striking . The RedHawks finished the contest with hits off Zips starter Alex Lofkin (1-8).
With rain likely for tomorrow, the teams decided to finish the series with a second full game. It was a pitcher's duel from the start with Miami's Brooks Fiala (3-4) allowing just four hits over 8.2 innings. He struck out a career-high eight batters while walking just one. Dawes came on to strike out the final two batters to earn a second save of the day, his fifth of the year.
The only run of the game came during the third, when Edgington singled up the middle to lead off, took second on Brenner's sacrifce, then went to third on a back. Gschwind brought home Edgington with a sacrifice fly to center field.
Akron's Myles McVeigh (0-7) took the hard-luck loss, allowing just seven hits and the one run. He struck out five.
Miami returns to action on Tuesday when it travels to Indiana for a matchup with the Hoosiers. The RedHawks defeated IU, 6-1, on April 5 in the first meeting between the teams.
