Miami baseball sweeps Ball State in three-game series

The Miami University RedHawks swept the Ball State University Cardinals in baseball from April 2-4. Entering the three game series, Miami had a 17-10 record, 7-5 in the Mid-American Conference (MAC), after losing its previous game against the University of Kentucky 14-11. Ball State entered with a 15-12 record, 10-2 in the MAC.

THURSDAY

Senior pitcher Zac Sohosky started on the mound in game one. Sohosky was unbeaten coming into the game after two starts this season.

Miami would open the scoring in the first inning, with a pitching error by Ball State allowing junior outfielder Marcus Dierks to score. In the second, Evan Appelwick drove in two runs on a double to extend the RedHawks’ lead to three. Redshirt-junior Tommy Harrison would send Applewick home, giving Miami a 4-0 lead.

Miami’s offense cooled down in the third and fourth innings as no runs were scored. Ball State scored three in the fifth inning off singles from Brayden Huebner, Brett Griffiths and Jacob Gillis, cutting the lead to only one run.

In the sixth, Ball State would score a run after a pitching change for Miami. However, the RedHawk bats erupted in the bottom of the sixth. Appelwick hit a three-run home run, extending his season home run total to 11, the most on the team. Ryan Novak would then hit a solo home run later in the inning, giving Miami a five-run advantage.

Miami added onto its lead in the seventh, with a Christopher Roa single sending Diego Cruz home. Roa himself would score after Harrison was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Novak drove in two runs later in the inning, extending Miami’s lead to nine runs. Drew Phillips would then score after Carson Raether was walked with the bases loaded. This gave Miami a ten-run lead in the seventh inning, which triggered the mercy rule, ending the game with a final score of 14-4.

FRIDAY

Due to inclement weather forecasted, the start of Friday’s game was moved up two hours to 1 p.m. With senior right hander Clayton Burke on the bump, Miami would continue their momentum from Thursday.

Miami scored on a single by freshman Ignacio Gonzalez, which drove in two runners to give the RedHawks an early 2-0 lead.

In the second inning, Miami doubled their lead. Cruz scored on a Ball State defensive error after a single by Roa. Roa would then come home after a single by Harrison.

Miami would continue their excellent start to the game in the third inning. Senior Dominic Krupinski scored on a single by Dierks, then Harrison cleared the bases with a grand slam into right field. The RedHawks kept their foot on the gas as Gonzalez also hit a home run to extend Miami’s lead to ten after just three innings.

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Miami’s offense stayed hot in the fifth as Novak hit his fifth home run of the season. With the lead at 11 runs, Raether hit the second home run of the inning. Dierks walked, with the bases already loaded, scoring Krupinski.

Cruz scored on a sac-fly and Harrison sent home Dierks and Roa on the next at bat. Raether’s single would score Harrison before sophomore Jamie Rasmussen scored Miami’s 20th.

In the seventh, Ball State scored three runs, but the 16-point deficit once again triggered the mercy rule. Miami won 20-4, its second biggest win this season.

SATURDAY

The final game of the series, originally scheduled for 1 p.m., was also moved to 10 a.m. to avoid incoming rain. Senior pitcher Troy Benko would get the nod for the RedHawks, winning the only game he’s started this season.

After a scoreless first inning, Miami’s offense came alive in the second. A single by Cruz would send Novak and Gonzalez home. Ball State would get on the board to start the third inning with a solo shot, but in the bottom of the third, Harrison would counter with a two-run home run, his third in three days.

Ball State took the lead in the fourth inning after senior Brett Griffiths was driven in on a double by junior Max Kalk. Sophomore Brayden Huebner hit his second home run of the game, a three-run shot.

Matt Buffington would restore Miami’s lead in the sixth inning with a two-run home run, his second of the season. Ball State would tie the game in the seventh after a single by junior Jacob Gillis. However, in the bottom of the eighth, Raether would hit a solo home run. In the top of the ninth, needing a run, Ball State would get two runners on base, but they wouldn’t capitalize. Senior Austin Berggren would earn the win after Miami came out on top 7-6, sweeping the series.

Miami improves to 20-10 and 10-5 overall and in conference respectively, moving them up to fourth in the Mid-American Conference. This is Miami’s third three-game series sweep this season. The RedHawks next game is on April 8, where they will take on the University of Cincinnati in a neutral site game in Mason, Ohio. Miami's next home game will be on April 10 in a three-game series against Ohio University in the Battle of the Bricks.

smithat4@miamioh.edu