Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Miami (Oh)
Herd and RedHawks Split Doubleheader at University Heights on Monday
5/14/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 14, 2007
Game One Box Score
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Game Two Box Score
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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - The Marshall baseball team split a doubleheader with former Mid-American Conference rival Miami (Ohio) at University Heights on Monday. The Thundering Herd's win, 4-3 in game two, was a result of clutch pinch-hit performances by three MU players after an 8-5 loss in game one.
In Marshall's final non-conference games of the season, head coach Jeff Waggoner shuffled his starting lineup to get many of his non-starters significant playing time versus the RedHawks. The doubleheader was scheduled as a pair of seven-inning games.
Game Two
Thad Ledford (Yukon, Okla.) delivered a game-winning, pinch-hit single in extra innings to score Tommy Johnson (Gaithersburg, Md.) from second base and snap Marshall's seven-game losing streak with a 4-3 win over Miami (Ohio).
The Herd (20-30) scored a run to tie the game in its last regulation at bat in the seventh on another pinch hit RBI, this time by Jeff Rowley (Buffalo, N.Y.). T
Marshall registered 10 hits in the game, three of which were pinch hits, the first time it posted double-digit hits since recording 14 hits on April 29 versus Houston. The RedHawks (28-21) put up eight hits and one error.
The Herd chased Miami starter Robert Shannon from the game after only a third of an inning pitched. He allowed two runs on one hit, a Johnson RBI single to plate Brit Vincent (Bowling Green, Ky.). Clay Maddox (Huntington, W.Va.) scored on the play from first base thanks to an error in centerfield by Brandon Hillier, who allowed the ball to jump over his glove in his charging attempt to field the base hit.
Miami scored a run in the top of the third on a two-out bunt single by Evan Armitage that scored Chris Niro to trim MU's lead to 2-1.
Right-hander Adam Kuhr (Mason, Ohio), in his fourth start of the season, walked four batters and allowed seven hits through seven innings. The 6-foot-10 senior made an athletic play on a sacrifice bunt attempt by Josh Hula in the fifth inning, diving to catch the popup in the air to post the Herd's third double play of the game with a throw to first to retire Niro.
The RedHawks put up two runs on Kuhr in the sixth inning to take a 3-2 lead on Marshall. Two doubles, four hits total, gave Miami its first lead of the game.
Down to its last at bat and trailing by one run, Nate Lape (Huntington, N.Y.), like he did in game one of the doubleheader, led off the seventh with a base hit as a pinch hitter. Lape's double to the left field wall set up a sacrifice bunt by Aaron Jamieson (Lindsay, Ontario) before the game-tying single by pinch hitter Rowley.
Marshall could muster no more runs in the seventh, sending the game to extra innings where Alan Gentry (Hot Springs, Ark.) would take over on the mound for Kuhr.
Gentry retired the RedHawks in order, setting up the Herd's extra-inning dramatics.
Johnson went 3-for-4 with an RBI and the game-winning run, the lone Herd hitter with multiple base hits. Armitage also went 3-for-4 for Miami with an RBI.
Miami's Bailey Pratt (4-2) took the loss after picking up the win in game one.
Marshall's three double plays in the game matched its total from game one.
Game One
Miami (Ohio) claimed game one of the doubleheader with an 8-5 win over the Thundering Herd. RedHawk shortstop Jordan Petraitis and left fielder Chris Nadeau drove in two runs apiece to extend MU's losing streak to seven games.
The Herd turned a double play in each of the first two innings behind freshman pitcher Tyler Gatrell (Ashland, Ky.), who made his first career start. After one hit through two innings, the RedHawk offense exploded in the third with five runs to take a 5-0 lead. Petraitis drove in two runs with a bases-loaded double, one of seven Miami hits in the frame.
Junior second baseman Matt Helm (Downingtown, Pa.) made a terrific diving grab on a hard grounder up the middle by Eric Darlage to help minimize the damage in the third inning.
A two-out Clay Maddox (Huntington, W.Va.) walk in the third led to Marshall's first run of the game and a 5-1 deficit. Maddox's walk was followed by two RedHawk errors that allowed the redshirt freshman to score.
Shortstop Brandon Casamassima (Colleyville, Texas) turned his second unassisted double play in the fourth, this time on a lineout by Hillier that caught Chris Niro out at first.
The Herd picked up its first hit of the game in the fourth, four total in the frame, with back-to-back singles to open the inning. Casamassima later scored on a Blake Sanders (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.) sacrifice fly to shallow left field. After Chris Peak (Barboursville, W.Va.) was hit by a pitch and a flyout by pinch hitter Jeff Rowley (Buffalo, N.Y.), freshman Josh Valle (Brentwood, N.Y.), also pinch hitting, delivered the first of consecutive RBI singles. Maddox picked up his first career hit and RBI after Valle to plate Peak for a 5-4 Miami lead.
Gatrell settled in the fifth, retiring six out of the next seven RedHawk hitters.
Valle recorded his second RBI of the game to tie the score at 5-5 in the sixth inning with a towering fly ball that hit off the top of the right field wall to score Sanders.
Miami took the lead in the top of the seventh with a two-out RBI single by Nadeau off of reliever Tom Ponietowicz (Norristown, Pa.). The RedHawks added two more runs on an error by Sanders at second base with the bases loaded for an 8-5 lead heading into Marshall's final at bat.
The Herd received a leadoff single by Nate Lape (Huntington, N.Y.) in the seventh, but he was left stranded as the next three hitters were retired.
Ponietowicz (0-2) was charged the loss, with Miami's Bailey Pratt (4-1) picking up the win.
Gatrell pitched six innings, surrendering 10 hits and five earned runs. Valle (2-for-2) was the Herd's lone hitter with multiple hits as MU posted only six hits in the game.
Marshall will travel to Orlando, Fla., to face the UCF Golden Knights in the last weekend of Conference USA play. The Herd must win two out of three games versus the Knights in order to earn the final berth in the C-USA Championship.
