Raether Walks Off UMass in Mother's Day Miracle

Sunday, May 10

Oxford, Ohio

12 p.m.

Miami University

35-15, 22-8

Massachusetts

17-27, 12-18

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Massachusetts	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	4	0	7	16	1
Miami (Ohio)	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	6	8	12	2

Raether Walks Off UMass in Mother's Day Miracle

5/10/2026 4:09:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

OXFORD, Ohio – The RedHawks pulled off a miraculous six-run rally in the ninth inning against UMass Sunday, as they swept the Minutemen after Carson Raether hit a three-run blast to right field. The win marked their second walk off of the weekend and their ninth MAC series win of the season. The RedHawks improve to 35-15 (22-8 MAC) with the victory, while the Minutemen fall to 17-27 (12-18 MAC).

HOW IT HAPPENED:

Troy Benko made his sixth start of the year for Miami and had a one-two-three inning in the top of the first. Back-to-back singles in the bottom of the first by Marcus Dierks and Evan Appelwick put runners at the corners for Miami, and Ryan Novak took an HBP to load the bases. Ignacio Gonzalez took four balls to force in the first run of the game and make it 1-0 Miami.
UMass led off with a single in the second but Dominic Krupinski, Diego Cruz and Appelwick turned a double play. The Minutemen came up with another single, but Benko recorded the final out to hold the lead. Miami made three straight outs in the bottom of the second.
The Minutemen opened the third with a single and a double and scored two runs as Miami committed an error on a subsequent groundout. Three more singles brought in a third and made it a 3-1 lead for UMass. Krupinski caught a ball in foul territory to end the rally.
Appelwick led off for Miami in the bottom of the third with an infield double. Tommy Harrison moved Appelwick to third base with a double on the following at bat and Novak walked to load the bases. Miami pulled within one run, 3-2, as Raether walked to force in the RedHawks' second run of the day.
Benko saw three up, three down in the top of the fourth. Dierks singled and stole second in the bottom of the fourth, but the RedHawks were unable to send him home.
Benko recorded two strikeouts in the fifth and held the Minutemen to one hit. The Minutemen sent three straight RedHawks down in the bottom of the frame to keep the 3-2 advantage. The sixth inning paralleled the fifth, with Benko striking out two and holding UMass to one hit. Matthew Buffington singled to left field in the bottom of the sixth, but a double play rendered the hit fruitless.
With two outs in the top of the seventh, two Minutemen came aboard via a walk and an HBP. Kaden Pfeffer came in to pitch in relief and recorded the third out to retire the side. The RedHawks managed one walk but hit into another double play and struck out in the bottom of the inning.
Disaster struck in the top of the eighth for Miami as the Minutemen put up three singles with their first four batters, scoring one run. A flyout advanced the runner on second to third and another single scored UMass's sixth run of the day with two outs. One more single scored a run and made it a 7-2 ballgame before Jack Geiser recorded a strikeout to end the inning. Gonzalez had a single in the bottom of the inning but once again no runs were scored.
Geiser held UMass to one hit in the top of the ninth. Buffington led off for Miami in the bottom of the ninth and hit a ball to deep right field that was caught against the wall for an out. Krupinski reached first on the following at bat after an error and Dierks hit an infield single, putting runners on first and second. Appelwick singled up the middle to score Miami's first run since the third inning and make it 7-3. Harrison followed with a single to right, pulling the RedHawks within three runs and forcing a pitching change.
Still with one out, Novak doubled straight down the right-field line to score Appelwick and put the tying run at second base. Raether stepped up to the plate, swung at the first pitch he saw, and watched it fly over the right-field wall, as Miami finished out an 8-7 series sweep and ran off the field celebrating.

MIAMI GAME NOTES:

Dierks went 3-for-4 with two runs and a walk.
Appelwick went 3-for-5 with two runs and an RBI.
Harrison went 2-for-5 with a run and an RBI.
Benko held the Minutemen to three earned runs in 6.2 innings and struck out seven batters in 117 pitches.
Miami was outhit 16 to 12.
Miami walked four times and surrendered two walks.
Miami left eight on base compared to 11 for UMass.
Miami made two errors compared to one for UMass.

UP NEXT:
Miami's final regular-season series will take place next Thursday, Friday and Saturday as the RedHawks travel to Akron for a three-game slate. First pitch on Thursday is scheduled for 3 p.m.