March 25, 2012
Box Score
YPSILANTI, Mich. -- Eastern Michigan capitalized on a couple of key Miami mistakes, scoring a pair of unearned runs, to take a 4-2 victory and the conference-opening series from the RedHawks Sunday afternoon.
Scott Slappey, Nate Bowles and Marcus Makuch each had a pair of hits for Miami, which fell to 13-11 overall and 1-2 in Mid-American Conference play.
Eastern Michigan (8-14, 2-1) opened the scoring in the fifth after a one-out walk and wild pitch put a runner on second. An infield single was followed by an fielding error by Ryan Brenner, allowing the run to score. The Eagles added three more in the seventh, all with two outs. A single between two outs was followed by a walk and infield single. But on the latter play, Scott Slappey's rush to throw to first was wide, making the score 2-0. That ended the day for Miami starter Shawn Marquardt (2-3), who allowed just six hits over 6.2 innings of work.
Reliever Nathan Williams was called for a balk during his first batter, bringing in a run, then gave up an RBI single that made the score 4-0.
Miami tired to answer in the eighth. The first four batters reached safely as Makuch single to first, followed by a Dan Walsh double to right field. Slappey singled to center to plate Makuch, then Brenner duplicated the effort to make the score 4-2. But hitters 2-3-4 couldn't do anymore damage as Matt Honchel popped up a sacrifice attempt, Bryce Redeker fouled out to first and Kevin Bower lined to short.
In the ninth, Miami also put two runners on after a leadoff out, but Walsh grounded into a double play to end the threat. Ryan Lavoie () earned the win for the Eagles, while Joe Battistelli picked up his first save.
Miami returns to action next weekend with its first conference home games of the season. The RedHawks welcome Toledo for games Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
