April 25, 2012
Box Score
OXFORD, Ohio -- A late Miami rally fell short as Indiana scored six runs in the second inning and held on for the 6-3 win Wednesday night at McKie Field. The decision ended a six-game winning streak by the RedHawks in the series and marked former Miami-turned Indiana Coach Tracy Smith's first win in five return visits to Oxford.
Making just his second start and fourth appearance of the season, RedHawk sophomore Alex Brown was dominant in the first inning, retiring the side in just five pitches, but ran into trouble in the second. Five of the first six Hoosiers singled -- with the lone out coming on a sacrifice bunt -- leading to three runs and chasing Brown (0-1). Ryan Powers took over on the mound, but surrendered three more runs, one on a sacrifice fly and two on a double after an error that would have ended the inning.
Miami got one run back in the bottom of the third inning when Ryan Curl doubled to lead off the inning and moved to third on a Scott Slappey single. Ryan Brenner brought Curl in from third with a line drive single to left field. Miami later loaded the bases, but couldn't get another run across as the inning ended with Indiana up 6-1.
Powers' night came to a close after 3.2 innings of work where he surrendered one unearned run on four hits and a walk with one strikeout. Clay Cinnamon took over on the mound to start the sixth inning. He kept the deficit to five runs as he went two innings of no-hit baseball with one walk and one strikeout.
The Miami defense kept the deficit within reach as the RedHawks threw out two runners at the plate and turned a double play in the over the last five innings. Curl threw out a baserunner after a single to center in the fifth and catcher John Crummy perfectly blocked the plate on an attempt to steal home in the eighth.
Curl scored his second run of the game in the bottom of the ninth after he led off with a single and came around to score on Slappey's double to cut the score to 6-2. A single by Brenner up the middle led to his second RBI of the game as Slappey came in from second. Indiana closer Jonny Hoffman, Indiana's third pitcher of the contest, struck out Honchel looking on a 3-2 pitch, then induced a game-ending double-play grounder from Redeker for his third save.
Hoosier starter Ryan Halstead (3-2) pitched 6.2 innings for the win, allowing one run on six hits with a walk and two strikeouts.
Miami takes to the road for its next three games with a Mid-American Conference series at Buffalo this weekend before returning to McKie Field for the final home weekend of the year, May 4-6 versus Akron.
