RedHawks Claim 11-9 Victory over Akron
4/18/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
AKRON, Ohio – In a game that featured four lead changes, the Miami University baseball team earned a hard-fought win over Akron, 11-9 Saturday, to improve to 5-9 in conference play and 7-28 overall.
Ryan Elble got the scoring started in the game’s very first at-bat, taking Akron starter JT Brubaker to deep left field for a home run. The solo shot was his third of the season, and the second time he has led off a game with a homer. After a groundout, back-to-back singles by Matt Honchel and Adam Yacek put runners on first and second. The next at-bat, Max Andresen hit a double to deep center, scoring Honchel and advancing Yacek to third. Then, after a strikeout, Scott Slappey scorched a single into right field, allowing Yacek and Andresen to score. In all, Miami plated four runs in the top of the first.
Akron responded in their first at-bat, scoring on a Brian Lees single and a Dom Iero double. The RedHawks came to bat in the top of the second with a 4-2 lead. Miami widened that lead in the top half of the second. Steve Sada started the inning with a leadoff double and after two straight fly outs, Jacob Wolf singled up the middle, scoring Sada from second and putting the RedHawks up, 5-2 through one and a half innings of play. Like the first inning, the Zips came back with some scoring of their own, plating three runs on a Daulton Mosbarger two-run triple and a sac fly by Joey Havrilak. The was knotted at five through two innings of play.
After Miami failed to score in the top of the third, Akron tacked on one run in their half of the inning. With the bases loaded, the Zips’ Kris Simonton hit into a groundball double play, however the Akron baserunner from third scored, giving the Zips a 6-5 lead through three.
The RedHawks got another leadoff home run in the top of the fifth, courtesy of Scott Slappey. The homer was his first of the season and fourth of his career. Akron echoed Miami with a leadoff solo shot of their own in the bottom of the fifth as Brian Lees took Brad Schwartz’s pitch to deep left field. The homer put the Zips up, 7-6 through five innings of play.
The Zips extended their lead in the bottom of the sixth. Akron’s Joey Havrilak hit a solo shot to right field, just out of the reach of the RedHawks right fielder. The homer made the score, 8-6 Akron through six.
Miami came back firing in the top of the seventh. It all started with a one out walk by Sada, followed by an Elble double that brought Sada around to score. The next at-bat, a Jake Romano single scored Elble, tying the ball game at eight runs apiece.
Akron took the lead back in the bottom of the eighth on a one-run single by Mosbarger. The Zips took a 9-8 advantage into the top of the ninth.
The RedHawks began the top of the ninth with a leadoff walk by Spencer Dull. Then, Sada earned a bunt single to put runners on first and second with no outs. The next at-bat, Elble put down a sac bunt to move Brooks Urich, who was pinch-running for Dull, to third and Sada to second. After a strikeout, Wolf came to the plate and knocked a two-run single up the middle of the infield, scoring both Urich and Sada. The scoring was not quite done as Yacek doubled to deep right center, bringing Wolf around to score. The RedHawks took a 11-9 lead into the bottom of the ninth.
Will Schierholz came on in relief in the bottom of the ninth to try and close it out. With two runners on and two out, Schierholz got an Akron batter to pop up and Johnson made the grab to seal the win. The save is Schierholz’s fifth of the season. Ryan Marske (1-2) got a one-pitch win for the RedHawks. He came on in relief of Schwartz with two outs in the bottom of the eighth, getting a groundball double play on his first pitch of the game.
Miami starting pitcher Jacob Banks went just 2 IP, allowing eight hits and six runs, all earned. Similarly, Zips starter JT Brubaker went 4.1 IP, allowed eight hits while surrendering six runs, all of which were earned. Brad Schwartz pitched five and a third innings in relief for the RedHawks, allowing six hits and three runs while striking out one.
The RedHawks return to the diamond tomorrow for a rubber match against Akron. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
