RedHawks Sweep the Chips in 5-2 Showdown

Sunday, April 26

Oxford, Ohio

1 p.m.

Miami University

29-13, 17-7

Central Michigan

18-23, 9-15

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Central Mich.	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	2	10	1
Miami (Ohio)	1	3	0	0	0	1	0	0	X	5	6	0

4/26/2026 4:25:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

OXFORD, Ohio – The RedHawks swept Central Michigan on Sunday, marking their 17th series win in their past 18 conference series. Austin Berggren continued his success as a closer, securing his fifth save of the year and striking out three of the game's final four batters. Miami improves to 29-13 (17-7 MAC) with the win, while Central Michigan falls to 18-23 (9-15 MAC).

HOW IT HAPPENED:

Troy Benko started on the mound for Miami and opened the first inning with three straight outs. Miami brought one across in the bottom of the first, an effort that started with a leadoff single and a stolen base by Marcus Dierks. Dierks scored on a groundout to claim a 1-0 advantage.
Carson Raether led off the second for Miami with a stand-up double. After Dominic Krupinski reached first with a walk, Dierks hit a double into the left-center gap, sending Raether flying around the bases to double the lead to 2-0. Evan Appelwick immediately stepped up and hit a bases-clearing single that pulled Miami ahead 4-0.
The Chippewas scored their first run of the day in the third inning, quickly putting a runner on third base with a leadoff triple and scoring on the next at bat with a sac fly to right field. With two outs, Central Michigan put two more runners on base, but Appelwick leaned over the visiting bullpen to make a catch in foul territory that ended the jam.
CMU scored again in the fourth with a leadoff solo shot to right field to pull back within two runs at 4-2. Christopher Roa hit a leadoff single in the bottom of the fourth, but a double play held the RedHawks' lead to two runs.
The Chippewas put up back-to-back singles with one out in the fifth, but Clayton Burke used a strikeout and a groundout to end the half inning. Ryan Novak hit a two-out double in the sixth, and Ignacio Gonzalez walked to first, but a strikeout cut the rally attempt short.
After Burke held the Chippewas hitless in the top of the sixth, Diego Cruz took an HBP and came up with a no-doubt stolen base. Krupinski took an HBP on the next at-bat, and both runners stole bases, putting two runners in scoring position. Dierks hit into a fielder's choice to send Cruz to the plate and make it a 5-2 game. The RedHawks proceeded to load the bases but could not extend the lead further.
Burke punched out three batters with strikeouts in the top of the seventh. He sent down two more in the eighth before Berggren came in to catch the final batter of the eighth looking.
Berggren stayed in to pitch the ninth. He had a one-two-three inning, striking out the final two batters swinging to put the 5-2 win away.

MIAMI GAME NOTES:

Dierks went 2-for-5 with two RBI and two runs.
Appelwick went 1-for-2 with two RBI.
Burke pitched 3.2 innings and struck out six batters.
Berggren pitched 1.1 hitless, scoreless innings and struck out three batters.
CMU outhit Miami 10 to six.
Each pitching staff threw 11 strikeouts.
The RedHawks stole five bases.
Miami left eight runners on base while CMU left 11 on base.

UP NEXT:
The RedHawks will wrap up their five-game homestand with a standalone game at McKie Field this Tuesday, April 28 against Xavier. They will make a trip to Wright State the following day for a single game against the Raiders before traveling to Western Michigan next weekend.