Friday's MAC Baseball Results

OXFORD, Ohio -- Bryce Redeker went 2-for-4 with an RBI, scored a run and registered an outfield assist on a potential tying run at the plate, leading Miami to a 4-3 win over Akron Friday night at McKie Field.

Shawn Marquardt was strong on the mound for Miami, but left in a 2-2 game in the seventh. He struck out six, while walking three and allowing six hits.

Joe Neff, who recorded the final out of the seventh after issuing a walk, earned the win to improve to 3-0, while Matt Rosinski pitched the final two innings for his sixth save.

Akron's Andrew Brown (6-6) suffered the hard-luck loss, as two of Miami's four runs were unearned. He allowed seven hits and two walk, while striking out two in the complete-game effort.

Miami (23-23, 8-11) opened the scoring with a run in the first. With two outs, Kevin Bower walked before an error on the Zips shortstop put runners on the corner. Bryce Redeker roped the next pitch into center for an RBI single.

Akron (17-28, 10-9) answered back right back with an unearned run of its own. With two outs, Sam Trecaso lined a shot off Marquardt for a single, but when Miami's Dan Walsh rushed the throw to first, it was wild. After a walk, a single over the shortstop's head tied the game at 1.

Another Zip error in the second led allowed Miami to retake the lead. Scott Slappey was hit by a pitch to start the frame. A bouncer to second was fumbled on the throw attempt, leaving both runners safe. Two outs later, Matt Honchel tapped in front of the plate, driving home Slappey with the infield single. 

 

The RedHawks gained the lead in the seventh and added some insurance in the eighth by manufacturing runs. First, Ryan Brenner stretched a single to left center into a double. After a sacrifice, Bower lined a pitch into left center to put Miami up 4-2. In the next frame, Redeker doubled down the line in left, despite a fantastic diving effort by Jared Turocy. A sacrifice bunt moved Redeker to third, allowing Slappey to hit a 1-2 sacrifice fly.

In between, Akron seemed poised to tie the game. A two-out walk was followed by a double into the right-field corner. But Redeker retrieved the ball and fired to Brenner just off the infield. The converted centerfielder fired a perfect strike to the plate, where Max Andresen stood his ground to end the eighth.

Akron put another scare into Rosinski and the RedHawks in the ninth. A one-out double put a runner in scoring position. After an infield pop out, back-to-back singles made the score 4-3 and put the tying run at second. But Rosinski got a flyout to centerfield for the final out of the contest.

The two teams will meet again tomorrow night at 6 p.m. at McKie Field with the contest being designated Walter "Smokey" Alston Day. Please note the special start time due to Miami University's commencement ceremony earlier in the day.

Eastern Michigan 10, Bowling Green 3

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com)— The Eastern Michigan University baseball team broke out of a mini hitting slump by racking up 11 knocks and scoring eight unearned runs in a 10-3 victory over Bowling Green State University Friday evening, May 4, at Oestrike Stadium. The Falcons (18-26; 7-12 MAC) committed four fielding errors during a game in which EMU (21-23; 11-8 MAC) pitching allowed just six hits.

 

Bowling Green jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning, but the Eagles put up a five-spot in the third to take the lead for good. EMU scored single runs in the fourth and fifth before adding three more in the sixth to hit double digits for the ninth time this season.

 

Neil Butara (4-4) cruised to his fourth victory of the season and worked through a bases-loaded jam to complete eight innings. The junior scattered six hits and allowed three earned runs while striking out a career-best eight hitters and walking three.

 

Jeffrey Rousseau finished off Bowling Green by pitching a scoreless ninth inning.

 

Sam Ott led the way offensively, going 2-for-5 with a single and his 12th double of the season. He notched four RBI which tied his career record for a single game. His two-RBI single in the third inning plated the game-winning run.

 

A trio of additional Eagles posted multiple-hit performances including Tucker Rubino (2-for-3), Lee Longo (2-for-5) and Matt Hitt (2-for-4). Rubino recorded an RBI and scored twice, while Hitt also notched his seventh double, drove in a run and crossed home plate once.

 

In his second start of the season, Dae Bowden registered his second double and scored twice on a 1-for-3 evening. Ben Magsig also went 1-for-3 with two free passes to push his career total to 109 and enter into a tie for sixth place all-time among EMU players in the walks category.

 

For the Falcons, starting pitcher Matt Malewitz (4-4) looked strong until his own throwing error put two runners on with nobody out in the third. Malewitz never recovered and was chased after three innings. He gave up six runs, but was only charged with one of those.

 

Likewise, reliever Ben Singer was only forced to take one earned run despite four Eagles scoring while he was on the mound. BGSU pitching issued five walks and struck out only one EMU batter.

 

Bowling Green used 14 different position players Friday, and only six of them registered a hit. Brandon Howard (1-for-1) was the only Falcon to tally both a hit and an RBI. Matt Vannett and Jesse Rait brought in the other runs despite going hitless on the evening.

 

After twirling a perfect first inning, Butara pitched himself into a one-out, bases-loaded jam by hitting Logan Walker. A fielder's choice and an RBI single in back-to-back at- bats pushed across a pair of Bowling Green runs to give the Falcons an early 2-0 edge.

 

The Eagles used consecutive errors in the third inning to jump ahead to a 5-2 lead. Williams and Bowden led off and both reached on miscues to put runners at second and third. Five of the next EMU hitters notched singles and ended up driving across five unearned runs. Ott tucked a line drive past the BGSU first baseman to record two RBI in an inning where EMU sent 10 men to the plate.

 

Eastern Michigan's lead increased to 6-2 in the fourth as Brent Ohrman grounded into a double play with the bases loaded to score Bowden. Bowden led off with a double to the right-center field power alley.

 

Bowling Green's defense afforded the Eagles a seventh run in the bottom of the fifth to make it a five-run margin. With Hitt running to third base on a ground ball of the bat of Austin Williams, Falcons' third baseman Walker threw a ball in the dirt and past first base. That error allowed Hitt to score and put Williams on second base.

 

The Eagles used another extended inning in the sixth to score three more times for a 10-2 advantage. An Ott double earned him his third and fourth RBI of the game and plated Rubino and Ohrman.

 

Ten runs were plenty for Butara, who made quick work of the Bowling Green offense after the second inning. Following a third-inning single by Andrew Kubuski, Butara did not allow another base hit until Alex Davidson poked a shot to right field in the eighth. Longo was responsible for keeping that streak alive in the seventh, when he snared a line drive headed for right field and stepped on first base to complete an unassisted, inning-ending double play.

 

In the eighth, Butara walked in a run, but worked his way out of a bases-loaded situation to preserve a seven-run lead for the home team. 

 

The second game of this series will be played Saturday, May 5, beginning at 3 p.m. Steve Weber (5-3) will try for his fifth win in his last six outings against Ethan McKenny (1-7). 

DeKALB, Ill. - The Northern Illinois baseball team amassed 10 hits against Central Michigan Friday afternoon at Ralph McKinzie Field, but left eight runners on base and fell 11-2. Alex Jones (Kansas City, Kan./Piper) went 3-for-4 at the plate with a double, a triple, a run and an RBI.

"We got some hits today but we weren't able to get them across the plate. We twice left runners on second and third and in instances like that, you have to take advantage of those golden opportunities," said Head Coach Ed Mathey. "We knew were a little short handed in our bullpen with our midweek games but we needed a little bit more from them today."

The Chippewas took the lead in the top of the second inning with a single run and tacked on three in the third to take a 4-0 lead. Northern Illinois stormed back in the bottom half of the inning started by a single up the middle by Jamison Wells (Combined Locks, Wis./Kimberly) and followed by Jones fourth triple of the season. Troy White (Chicago/Whitney Young) sacrificed to right field, his sixth of the season, to score Jones and cut the lead in half, 4-2.

Both the Huskies and Chips were scoreless for the next three innings but NIU left runners on second and third in the fourth and another on first in the sixth inning and were unable to take the lead in the game.

CMU scored two in the seventh and NIU again left runners on second and third to keep the deficit to four runs, 6-2.  Central Michigan scored five runs in the top of the ninth and the game ended 11-2.

Starting pitcher Taylor Nawrocki (Fairmont, Minn./Granada-Huntley-East Chain) went eight innings in the game and was unshaken through the contest , striking out five in the effort and hurling 125 pitches (76 strikes).

The Huskies (14-31, 7-12 MAC) return to the diamond tomorrow afternoon for game two of the series with Central Michigan. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. 

Buffalo 5, Toledo 1

TOLEDO, OH - Right-handed pitcher Cameron Copping worked 8.1 strong innings and led visiting Buffalo to a 5-1 victory over Toledo in Friday's Mid-American Conference series opener at Scott Park. The loss snaps the Rockets' seven-game league win streak and drops their record to 23-22 overall, 12-7 in the conference. Today's series opener was delayed for well over an hour due to inclement weather in the Toledo area.

Copping (4-3) was in control most of the afternoon and gave up one run on three hits with four strikeouts to collect his team-best fourth win of the season. The Bulls' (13-29, 6-12 MAC) hurler yielded only a single in the first and seventh innings and a home run in the eighth to stop a seven-game losing skid against Toledo. At one point in time, Copping retired 11 UT hitters in a row.

River McWilliams, who started the game at third base for UB, came on in relief of Copping and closed out the road triumph to earn his third save of the season.

Sophomore LHP Ryan Wilkinson (6-3) was tagged with the setback, allowing five runs on seven hits with one strikeout in 5.0 frames. Wilkinson, this week's MAC West Division Pitcher of the Week and Male Scholar-Athlete of the Week, struggled to find his rhythm all afternoon and posted his shortest start of the spring, snapping a personal three-game win streak.

A definite positive for the Midnight Blue & Gold this afternoon was the relief effort by senior RHP Alex Radon. The Sylvania, OH native was simply brilliant over the final 4.0 innings, surrendering just one hit with four punchouts to keep the home team in the contest.

The Bulls wasted little time in jumping all over Wilkinson, taking advantage of solo home runs off the bats of Matt Pollock and reigning MAC Player of the Year Tom Murphy.

UB's Pollock added to the visitor's lead with his second roundtripper of the afternoon in the third inning to make the score 3-0.

Buffalo continued to put up good at-bats in the fourth frame and received a two-run single from Jon Mestas to push its margin to 5-0.

The Rockets finally solved Copping in the eighth inning, breaking up the shutout on a leadoff home run by senior 1B Mark Lapikas. The 2011 second-team All-MAC selection crushed a full-count pitch over the wall in right-center field for his team-best fifth roundtripper of the season.

Toledo tried to make the situation interesting in the ninth frame, as the home team put runners on first and second base with one but, but UB's McWilliams produced a pair of flyouts to preserve the series-opening victory.

Pollock (2-for-4, 2 RS, 2 HR, 2 RBI) and Murphy (2-for-4, RS, RBI) paced the visitors with a game-high two hits each.

UT will look to bounce back in tomorrow's second of a three-game series against cross-division foe Buffalo. Senior RHP Matt Kuna (5-1, 2.36 ERA, 53.1 IP, 45 H, 18 R, 14 ER, 12 BB, 39 K) is scheduled to start for the Rockets, while RHP Jeff Thompson (2-1, 6.24 ERA, 53.1 IP, 76 H, 43 R, 37 ER, 18 BB, 25 K) will toe the rubber for the Bulls.

MUNCIE, Ind. - The Ball State baseball team dropped the series opener to Mid-American Conference foe Western Michigan 10-5 Friday afternoon at Ball Diamond. The Cardinals allowed eight runs in the first four innings of play while falling to 6-13 in MAC play.

 Junior center fielder Wes Winkle (Muncie, Ind./Yorktown) posted a career-high four hits in the loss from the leadoff position while scoring three runs. He posted a double and three singles on the afternoon while also making an acrobatic diving catch in the outfield. First baseman Billy Wellman (Portland, Ind./Jay County) drove in a pair of runs on three hits to pace the Cardinals' attack.

Western Michigan (18-24, 8-10 MAC) opened the scoring quickly against sophomore right-hander T.J. Weir (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo). Zach Thoma and Jack Scanlon posted back-to-back one out singles to put runners on the corners before Ryan McMillian lifted a sacrifice fly to center field for the early 1-0 WMU lead. Weir limited the damage to just one run as he induced another fly ball to end the inning.

Western Michigan extended its lead to 4-0 in the third inning as it used the long ball to score three runs in the inning. McMillan hit a two-run home run off the scoreboard for his team-leading sixth home run of the season while Patrick Duncan followed with a solo home run.

 Ball State (11-30, 6-13 MAC) came back from a rain delay of 69 minutes and scored three runs in the bottom of the third inning against WMU left-hander Casey Webber to make it a 4-3 contest. Mitch Overley (Zionsville, Ind./Brebeuf) and Winkle led off the inning with back-to-back singles before Mitch Widau (Richmond, Ind./Richmond) drew a walk to load the bases with nobody out.

Weir drove in the Cardinals' first run as he lifted a sacrifice fly into foul territory in right field scoring Overley. Webber looked like he was going to limit the damage to just one run, but Blake Beemer (Dayton, Ohio/Northmont) lined a ball into the outfield with two outs that WMU center fielder Vinnie Booker dropped allowing two unearned runs to score making it a one run contest.

Western Michigan answered back in the top of the fourth inning with four runs to take an 8-3 lead. The Broncos took advantage of two walks from left-hander Miles Moeller (Phoenix, Ariz./Glendale CC). Western Michigan followed with three straight singles and a sacrifice fly to take a five-run lead.

The Cardinals got their fourth run of the afternoon in the bottom of the fifth inning. Winkle led off the inning with a double down the left field line and came home to score as Wellman singled into center field to make it an 8-4 game.

After the Broncos scored two unearned runs in the top of the ninth inning, the Cardinals tacked on a run in the bottom half to round out the scoring. Winkle and Widau led off with back-to-back singles to put two aboard before Wellman doubled into the left center field gap to make it a 10-5 game.

Weir (2-8) picked up the loss as he went just 2.2 innings as he did not come back out after the 69-minute rain delay. He allowed four runs on six hits while striking out three batters. Webber (3-4) tallied the victory for the Broncos as he went 5.2 innings and allowed four runs on eight hits. David Brennan picked up his first save of the season working the final 3.1 innings of one-run baseball.

The Cardinals and Broncos will continue their three-game series Saturday afternoon. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at Ball Diamond with junior right-hander Chris Marangon (Maple Valley, Wash./Edmunds CC) set to take the hill for the Cardinals.

ATHENS, Ohio - The Ohio University baseball team had its series opener with Kent State postponed until 3 p.m. on Saturday at Bob Wren Stadium. The game was delayed at the end of the sixth after lightning was spotted.

Ohio and Kent State will resume action in the top of the seventh inning. The Bobcats trail the Golden Flashes 3-1.

Kent State plated two runs in the first and one in the second to take a 3-0 lead, but the Bobcats responded with a run in the bottom of the fifth to cut the lead to two.

Senior Brent Choban (Rittman, Ohio) and David Starn were the pitchers of record at the time the game was postponed.

Game two of the three-game series will begin immediately following the conclusion of the first game.