Miami University
Northern Illinois (Game Two)
Miami Drops Doubleheader vs. Northern Illinois
4/15/2012 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 15, 2012
OXFORD, Ohio -- Miami pounded out 25 hits and scored 25 runs, but was swept by Northern Illinois, 7-5 and 13-11 Sunday afternoon at McKie Field. Combined with Friday's result, the Huskies took all three games of the MAC weekend series.
Bryce Redeker batted in four runs and Ryan Brenner and Kevin Bower each recorded five hits in the two games to lead the RedHawks at the plate. Freshman Ryan Elble recorded the first three RBIs of his career in the second game of the day.
In the opener, the Huskies' leadoff hitter came around to score in the first inning for the early 1-0 lead. Northern Illinois put four more on the board in the fourth inning to stretch the lead to 5-0 before Miami's bats started to come alive.
The RedHawks (17-19, 4-8 MAC) recorded three hits through the first four innings, but tripled that with six hits enroute to a 5-5 tie . Pinch hitter Nate Bowles started the inning when he reached on an error by the NIU first baseman. The next three Miami batters singled to score Bowles for the Red and White's first run of the game and load the bases. Redeker then hit into a fielder's choice that scored a run. Redeker then stole second while Brenner, on third, made a break for home. Both runners were safe on the double steal with Brenner earning his first steal of home of the season to cut the lead to 5-3.
The hit parade continued as Kevin Bower and Jacob Wolf singled before Dan Walsh cleared the bases with a double down the right field line to bring Miami all the way back to even with the Huskies.
The Huskies (11-24, 5-7 MAC) retook the lead in sixth and added an insurance run in the top of the ninth before closing Miami out for the win in the first game of the twin bill.
Brandon Adkins (3-1) took the loss for Miami, pitching 1.1 innings with one earned run on two hits and two strikeouts. Shawn Marquardt started, surrendering five runs on 10 hits through 4.1 innings but earned a no-decision after Miami tied it in the fifth. Northern Illinois starter Jake Hermsen (3-3) earned the win, pitching eight innings while allowing five runs, one earned, on 11 hits, while Kyle Glancy picked up his seventh save.
In the series finale, Northern Illinois scored in every inning except the seventh to top the RedHawks by a score of 13-11
Miami jumped out to a 4-1 lead after the first inning thanks to RBIs by Redeker, Bower and Elble, but the lead would be short-lived.
Northern Illinois scored once in the second and twice in the third to tie it back up. The Huskies went on to score a total of five more runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings to take a 9-5 lead through the top of the seventh.
The RedHawks put five runs on the board in the bottom of the seventh to take a late 10-9 lead. Miami loaded the bases with no outs and had RBIs by Elble, Scott Slappey, Brenner and Redeker, but it wasn't enough to hold off the Huskies. they retied the game in the top of the eighth before scoring three in the ninth to rally and put the game away.
Nathan Williams (0-3) took over in the top of the eighth to pitch Miami out of trouble with the inning's final out, but allowed the leadoff hitter to reach base in the top of the ninth. That runner would come around to score the winning run, as Williams was credited with 0.1 innings pitched with one earned run without a hit and a walk. Miami starter Mac Thoreson pitched the first 3.1 innings, giving up five runs, all earned, on nine hits and two walks with one strikeout. Northern Illinois reliever Zach Badgley (1-0) pitched 1.1 innings in the seventh and eighth with no runs, hits or walks and two strikeouts to pick up the win. Glancy completed the weekend with his third save in as many tries to increase his total to eight.
Miami tries to end a season-long four-game losing streak on Wednesday, April 18 against Dayton at McKie Field. The first pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
