AVON, Ohio – In the longest game in the history of the Miami University baseball program, the RedHawks dropped a 17-inning heartbreaker to Ohio and were eliminated from the Mid-American Conference Tournament on Friday. The game took six hours and 16 minutes to play. Miami finishes the season at 37-19.

It was a tremendous effort from several RedHawk pitchers as freshman Tyler Bosma and senior Jack Corbell each went six innings, allowing no earned runs. Seniors Cole Gnetz, Shane Smith and Bailey Martin also saw action, with Smith throwing 2.1 innings after going 7.2 innings against Northern Illinois on Wednesday.

Miami struck first in the bottom of the second. With one out, redshirt junior second baseman Jordan Stephens singled up the middle. Redshirt freshman first baseman Reid Norberg singled through the right side to move Stephens to third. A squeeze bunt by senior outfielder Mackay Williams scored Stephens and put the 'Hawks on the board. Miami made it 2-0 when Norberg stole third and came home when the catcher threw the ball away.

The Bobcats were able to take advantage of a RedHawk error and score two runs to tie the score in the top of the fifth, but that would be the only scoring through the remainder of regulation play.
In the top of the 11th, Ohio looked like it would take the lead when it got a base hit with a runner at second base. However, redshirt junior left fielder Kyle Winkler came up throwing and gunned down the Bobcat runner trying to score. Ohio was able to take a 3-2 advantage the next inning when it scored on a Miami throwing error.

The RedHawks fought back in the bottom of the 12th. With one out, Winkler singled through the left side. Sophomore Parker Massman pinch hit and drew a walk. Junior shortstop Will Vogelgesang was hit by a pitch to load the bases. That allowed junior second baseman Landon Stephens to send a ball to center field that brought Winkler home on a sac fly and tied the game at three.

It stayed that way until the 17th inning when Ohio was able to break through for three runs on two hits and an error to take a 6-3 advantage.

Miami did not give up and fought back valiantly in the bottom half of the inning. With one out, Landon Stephens doubled to left field. Freshman designated hitter Cole Andrews drew a walk. A single to left field by Jordan Stephens scored Landon Stephens and made it 6-4. Norberg then hit a sac fly out to right field to score Andrews and cut the deficit to one run. The Bobcats were able to get the groundout on the next play and finish the marathon game.

Jordan Stephens finished the contest 3-for-7 with one RBI and one run scored. Norberg and Williams each had two hits for Miami.