Miami University
Wright State (Championship)
Miami Falls in Ninth to Wright State
4/11/2012 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 11, 2012
OXFORD, Ohio -- Wright State broke a tie in the top of the ninth inning to take a 2-1 win over Miami in the championship game of the Joe Nuxhall Classic Wednesday night at McKie Field. The Raiders (21-10) won the fourth annual, two-day tournament for the first time as the RedHawks (17-16) were runners-up for the second time.
The Raiders, 21-10 and winners of 12 straight games, tallied the game-winner on a line drive single by Jake Hibberd just over the glove of second baseman Ryan Brenner. The rally started with a one-out double to left center that Matt Honchel kicked, allowing the runner to reach third. After a walk and pitching change, Hibberd gave Wright State a 2-1 lead.
Reliever Jordan Marker (4-1) pitched the final 2.2 scoreless innings to earn the win. He had five strikeouts while allowing just one hit.
Miami freshman Ryan Cinnamon made his first-career start after four appearances as a reliever. He gave up one run on four hits, one walk and three hit batsmen with two strikeouts in 4.2 innings to lower his season ERA to 5.40. Wright State pitcher Andrew Elliott also made his first start of the season in his 11th appearance of the year and earned a no decision with one unearned run on two hits and a strikeout in three innings of work.
The Raiders took the lead in the top of the third when tournament MVP Tristan Moore hit a double, the first extra base hit of the game, to score Hibberd, who had singled, moved to second on a wild pitch on an attempted pitchout and third on a sacrifice bunt. Cinnamon escaped without further damage by striking out the next batter and inducing a pop out in foul territory behind first base to the following Raider.
The Wright State lead was short-lived though as a long single to center field by Honchel brought Cory Klenke in from second in the bottom of the third to erase the lead and tie the game at 1-1.
The Raiders loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the fifth as Cinnamon hit two batters and another reached on an error, but reliever Joe Neff took the mound to strike out the first batter he faced to end the threat. Neff pitched 2.1 innings of no-hit baseball with two strikeouts and just one walk as he kept the score tied.
Miami closer Nathan Williams (0-1) entered the game in the top of the eighth in place of Bryan Thene, who recorded the first out in the top of the eighth against his only batter in a lefty-lefty matchup. Williams sat down both hitters he faced, including one on a strikeout. But he encountered trouble in the ninth before being relieved by Rosinski.
Miami returns to MAC play as it hosts Northern Illinois this weekend. Friday's game starts at 6 p.m.
