Miami Takes Game Two Of MAC Baseball Tournament

Nate Tekavec

Junior righthander Nate Tekavac (9-5) earned the victory for Miami (36-21), throwing a complete game while giving up three runs on eight hits. He struck out two Chippewas and gave up two walks.

"You have to give credit to Nate," Central Michigan head coach Judd Folske said. "From the fourth inning on, he held our guys in check."

The four double plays by Miami ties a MAC Tournament record set by Central Michigan versus Kent State University in 1998.

"To win, things have to go your way," Miami head coach Tracy Smith said. "Those things could have been the double play balls."

Miami scored a single run in the first inning when Bobby Barnes singled, then advanced to third on a failed pick-off attempt by pitcher Mike Steele. Barnes scored on a groundout by Jeremy Ison. Central Michigan (40-16) answered with two runs in the bottom half of the inning. A double by leftfielder Kevin Uzarski was followed by a single by centerfielder Matt Crowley. Rightfielder Jake Sanborn grounded out to third to drive in Uzarski. Designated hitter Mike Galloway then singled to drive in Crowley.

In the second inning, Miami retook the lead on an RBI single by designated hitter Tom Yost and a run-scoring double play by leftfielder Brady Nori.

Uzarski hit his fifth home run of the season to right field in the third that tied the game at three.

Miami broke the deadlock in the sixth inning after a double by shortstop Jeremy Ison and a seeing-eye single by second baseman John Lackaff, scoring Ison. That was Lackaff's 62nd run-batted-in of the season, tying the Miami single-season record. A bases-loaded walk to Nori scored Lackaff to make the score 5-3. A passed ball by Central Michigan catcher Shaun Gragg allowed first baseman Joe Spain to score, giving Miami the 6-3 lead. Miami added a run in the seventh as Spain doubled to left, scoring Lackaff.

Steele (8-1) picked up the loss for Central Michigan, going 5 1/3 innings and giving up four earned runs on eight hits.

"Steele lost his spots," Folske said. "His pitching repetoire is ball movement. Today, his ball was straighter."

Miami will play Thursday against Ohio at 4 p.m. Central Michigan will play the loser of the Kent-Northern Illinois University game in an elimination game Thursday at 10 a.m.