RedHawks Drop Home Opener to Xavier, 10-5
3/19/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
OXFORD, Ohio – The RedHawks jumped in front early in their 2015 home opener, but the Musketeers of Xavier defeated Miami, 10-5 on Wednesday night.
Miami got the game’s first runs in the bottom of the second. Senior Scott Slappey hit into a fielder’s choice with the bases loaded, scoring Ryan Elble who had led off the inning with a walk. The very next at-bat, junior Jake Romano scorched a single to center field, scoring Adam Yacek. Yacek had reached previously on a double to left field.
Xavier responded in the top of the third, scoring on a bases loaded hit by pitch. Miami got another run in the bottom of the third. Junior Chad Sedio led off the inning with a triple to right center. Then, senior Matt Honchel reached on error and Elble made it home, extending the Miami lead to 3-1.
Like Miami, Xavier scored for the second-straight inning. A two-run home run tied things up at 3-3. The Musketeers went ahead for the first time in the game in the top of the fifth. A bases-loaded walk and an RBI single made it 5-3 Xavier through five innings played.
Xavier would stretch their lead in the seventh inning, scoring two runs on a throwing error and another on a sac fly. The eighth inning saw the Musketeers tack on two more runs on an RBI single and another bases-loaded hit by pitch.
Miami cut into the Xavier lead in the bottom half of the eighth. Honchel hit a one-out double to right field and then Elble hit a triple to right center, scoring Honchel. The next at-bat, senior Max Andresen grounded out to first base but Elble was able to score on the play.
The score stood at 10-5 through eight innings and that is the way it would stay. It is the third-straight game in which Miami has entered the ninth inning with the score being 10-5. On Sunday against ETSU, Miami battled back to tie it up in the top of the ninth after trailing 10-5.
The RedHawks return to action this Friday when they travel to Western Michigan for a three-game series that will open their Mid-American Conference schedule.
