Marshall University Athletics
Miami Sweeps Baseball Doubleheader from Marshall
5/3/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Miami Sweeps Baseball Doubleheader from Marshall
5/3/2003
- Game One Box Score
- Game Two Box Score
OXFORD, Ohio ? Miami put a dent in Marshall?s Mid-American Conference tournament hopes by dealing the Thundering Herd a pair of losses in Saturday?s doubleheader at McKie Field. The RedHawks won a 3-2 extra-inning tilt in game one and downed Marshall 7-6 in their final at bat in game two.
In game one, Miami won a tight 3-2 game in eight innings. The RedHawks? Sam Sellery delivered a two-out single to right-center field that plated David Cook to end the contest after Marshall knotted the game at 2-2 to force extra baseball.
Marshall, down to its final at bat in the seven-inning affair, used clutch hitting from Gregg Hiller (Greenville, Ohio) and Adam Frederick (Franklin, Pa.) to tie the game up. Mike Koitsopoulos (Markham, Ont.) forced a one-out walk before advancing to third base when Hiller ripped a double into the right-center field gap. The left-handed hitting Frederick then brought Koitsopoulos home with the game-tying RBI, a groundout to first base.
Pitcher Chris Meadows (Huntington, W.Va.) sat Miami down in order in the bottom of the seventh inning to force the extra frame.
Meadows entered the game to relieve Scott Henning (Wilmington, Del.) in the sixth inning, and the Herd right-hander retired three RedHawks in a row after Henning allowed a leadoff double to Mike Ferris.
Steve Ziroli (LaGrange, Ill.) entered the contest with men on first and second base with one out in the eighth, but surrendered Sellery?s game-winning RBI after striking out Michael Carlin. Meadows (2-4) took the loss after walking Cook to lead off the inning.
Joe Glevenyak (West Palm Beach, Fla.) continued Marshall?s scoring surge from Friday?s 10-4 win with a solo home run in the top of the first inning for a 1-0 Thundering Herd lead.
Offensive production was at a premium, however, as the two clubs would combine for only nine hits and five runs.
Henning worked five innings for a no decision. The left-hander allowed four hits and two runs on three walks and one strikeout. Henning?s counterpart, freshman Graham Taylor (5-2), earned his third complete game of the season in a four-hit, two-run performance.
Henning walked Tyler Tabler in the second inning after jumping ahead of the RedHawk designated hitter 0-2. Tabler would later score to tie the game up at 1-1 when Marshall could not complete a potential inning-ending 643 double play. Brian Canada registered the RBI on the fielder?s choice putout.
The RedHawks took a 2-1 lead in the fourth inning. Jason Brown knocked in Michael Carlin with a two-out single to left field.
The Herd failed to protect a one-run lead in the bottom of the seventh inning in game two as Miami posted two runs in the frame for a dramatic come from behind victory. Due to MAC doubleheader regulations, game two was also a seven-inning contest because game one went into extra innings.
Marshall fell behind 3-0 when Miami put up three runs in the second inning. Jason Brown bunted in John Slone for the first run of the game. Koitsopoulos committed two errors at shortstop which contributed to the RedHawks? additional two runs.
The Herd bounced back in its next at bat in the top of the third inning to cut the deficit to one run, 3-2. Matt LaFleur (Chesapeake, Va.) and Koitsopoulos were walked and hit by a pitch, respectively, with the bases loaded.
Marshall added its final four runs in the fourth inning to take a 6-3 lead. Miami starting pitcher Jason Friedman was pulled after surrendering a Hiller double in favor of Michael Gardner. The first hitter he faced, Frederick, ripped an RBI single up the middle to plate Hiller. The Herd once again found themselves in a bases loaded situation, and this time Corie O?Bryan (Frederick, Md.) delivered a two-run single through the left side of the infield for his only hit of the game. Koitsopoulos, also with the bases juiced, legged out a double play attempt to allow Glevenyak to cross the plate.
Miami head coach Tracy Smith used Sellery, the game one hero, to pinch hit for Tabler and received an RBI single to left field that capped the RedHawks? two-run fourth inning to cut the Herd lead to 6-5.
Gardner (6-3) retired eight straight Marshall hitters to close out the game and give the RedHawks an opportunity to win the game in the bottom of the seventh.
Miami?s Carlin singled to center field to open the seventh inning and advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt attempt by pinch-hitter Andi Scheidt. However, the sacrifice attempt turned into a throwing error by O?Bryan at third base, keeping the inning going with no outs for Miami. Slone registered a sacrifice bunt in the next at bat, advancing runners to second and third base. Canada was then intentionally walked with first base open. Ziroli managed to strike out Paul Frietch, but then allowed a game-ending double to Zach Schmidt that scored two runs.
Fritz Conrad (Ocoee, Fla.) was Marshall?s starting pitcher in the game, throwing three innings with four hits and three earned runs allowed. Ziroli (4-2) took the loss after pitching 3.2 innings with five RedHawk hits.
Marshall and Miami will close out the four-game series on Sunday at 1 p.m. at McKie Field. Chris Koutsavlis (Pittsburgh, Pa.) is scheduled to get the start on the mound for the Herd. Koutsavlis (4-2) will get his first MAC start since recording his first career complete-game shutout on April 12 at Buffalo.
