Miami University
2-5
Middle Tennessee
3-4
Miami Out-Slugs Middle Tennessee 17-13
2/25/2024 7:35:00 PM | Baseball
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The RedHawks started the scoring in the top of the first inning, as leadoff hitter Ty Batusich was hit by a pitch and came around to score on an Anthony Zarlingo sac fly.
- Middle Tennessee took a 2-1 lead after scoring one run in each of the first two frames.
- Miami went on top for good with a five-run third inning. Three straight singles by MacDonald, Zaborowski and David Novak knotted the score at 2-2 and forced a Blue Raider pitching change. After Zarlingo walked, Tré Keels drove in a run with a fly out to center. Ryan Novak came through with a two-out, three-run homer to give Miami a 6-2 lead.
- MacDonald made it 8-2 in the fourth with a two-run blast to center after Batusich's one-out single.
- In the top of the sixth, it was Zaborowski's turn to leave the yard. He ripped a two-run shot to right-center to make it 10-2, scoring Batusich, who had led off the inning with a base hit.
- MTSU responded with three runs in the bottom half of the inning to make it 10-5.
- The RedHawks tacked on four more in the top of the seventh, as Ryan Novak drew a base on balls and Dillon Baker brought him around with an RBI double. After Batusich walked with two outs, MacDonald hit a three-run homer to right to stretch the lead to 14-5.
- Middle Tennessee wouldn't go away, using an RBI triple and a three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh to pull within 14-9.
- The Red and White added three insurance runs in the eighth. Baker's sac fly and an MTSU throwing error put Miami up 16-8, and Tyler Gordon capped the visitors' scoring with a two-out RBI single to right field.
- The Blue Raiders put up three runs in the eighth and grabbed one more in the ninth, but the RedHawks closed out a 17-13 victory.
NOTES
- MacDonald went 3-for-5 and drove in a game-high five runs.
- Batusich, Zaborowski, David Novak and Ryan Novak also had multi-hit games.
- Batusich scored four runs in the game.
- Seven RedHawks had at least one run batted in.
- Five different Miami players reached base after being hit by a pitch.
- Starting pitcher Nick Vardavas allowed two runs in five innings of work to earn the win.
- The last time the RedHawks had scored at least 17 runs in a game was a 21-2 win at Eastern Michigan on April 8, 2023.
UP NEXT:
Miami hosts Wright State for the 2024 home opener on Tuesday, Feb. 27 at 3 p.m. in Oxford.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Vardavas, Nick (1-0)
L: B. Beranek (0-2)
Batting:
2B: Novak, David 1 ; Baker, Dillon 1
HR: MacDonald, Zach 2 ; Zaborowski, Ryland 1 ; Novak, Ryan 1
RBI: MacDonald, Zach 5 ; Zaborowski, Ryland 2 ; Novak, David 1 ; Zarlingo, Anthony 1 ; Keels, Tré 1 ; Novak, Ryan 3 ; Baker, Dillon 2
SF: Zarlingo, Anthony 1 ; Keels, Tré 1 ; Baker, Dillon 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Batusich, Ty 4 ; MacDonald, Zach 3 ; Zaborowski, Ryland 2 ; Novak, David 2 ; Zarlingo, Anthony 2 ; Keels, Tré 1 ; Novak, Ryan 2 ; Baker, Dillon 1
CS: Keels, Tré 1 ; Novak, Ryan 1
HBP: Batusich, Ty 1 ; MacDonald, Zach 1 ; Novak, David 1 ; Keels, Tré 1 ; Baker, Dillon 1
PO: Keels, Tré 1
Batting:
2B: J. Galloway 1 ; B. Vondohlen 1
3B: G. Jennings 1
HR: J. Galloway 1 ; B. Vondohlen 1
RBI: L. Vinson 1 ; G. Jennings 3 ; B. Rutter 2 ; J. Galloway 3 ; T. Phillips 1 ; B. Holloway 1 ; B. Vondohlen 2
SF: B. Holloway 1
Base Running:
RUNS: E. Snider 3 ; L. Vinson 1 ; G. Jennings 1 ; B. Rutter 2 ; J. Galloway 2 ; T. Phillips 1 ; B. Vondohlen 1 ; C. Badylak 2
SB: B. Rutter 1
PO: G. Jennings 1 ; T. Phillips 1
