Miami prevails over Michigan in a historic showdown

After an early-week schedule change, the Miami University RedHawks (25-13 overall, 14-7 in conference play) took on the University of Michigan Wolverines (24-16, 10-8 in conference play) on April 21.

The Wolverines were originally slated to host the University of Dayton, but instead traveled to Oxford, Ohio, looking to add a quadrant-one win to their résumé.

Although Miami and Michigan had not met since 1988, the RedHawks are familiar with Michigan head coach Tracy Smith. Smith graduated from Miami in 1988 and served as the program’s head coach from 1997 to 2005. In 2015, he was inducted into the Cradle of Coaches.

Tuesday’s game also held a new attendance record at McKie Field: 1,643 fans. This surpassed the previous record of 1,178, set on March 24, 2002, the field’s opening day.

Junior Jack Geiser started on the mound for Miami, entering with a 1-1 record. Michigan started redshirt freshman Erik Puodziunas.

Michigan came out strong. Junior Colby Turner walked and classmate Noah Miller doubled before sophomore Cade Ladehoff cleared the bases with a double off the left field wall. A fielding error by Miami allowed Ladehoff to score. A sliding catch in center field by junior Marcus Dierks helped Miami escape further damage, but they still found themselves in an early 3-0 deficit after one inning.

Miami swung the momentum in the second. Senior Carson Byers came in early for the RedHawks, who retired Michigan’s next three batters. Sophomore Carson Raether then drove the first pitch over the centerfield wall to get Miami on the board.

Fellow sophomore Christopher Roa followed with another solo shot to left-center field. After three foul balls, freshman Diego Cruz joined the fun, crushing a ball over the left field wall. The three consecutive home runs were the first in Miami history.

The Miami underclassmen stayed hot in the third. After Raether walked and Roa doubled to right, Cruz drove a ball to right field, bringing in both runners before being thrown out at third. Miami took its first lead of the game, 5-3.

In the fourth, Michigan cut the deficit to one after junior Greg Pace tripled and scored on junior Drew Culbertson’s RBI. Miami responded in the bottom half, loading the bases early. Senior Dominic Krupinski scored on a RBI base hit from junior Tommy Harrison, and freshman Ignacio Gonzalez launched a three-run home run, extending Miami’s lead to 9-4

After a scoreless fifth, Michigan rallied with two outs in the sixth. Turner hit a two-run home run to left field. After Miller reached first on an error, Ladehoff added a two-run shot of his own, and the Wolverines clawed their way back to within one run. Miami answered with two runs of its own, with Harrison and Raether scoring on singles from Roa and Krupinski, respectively.

Harrison added a solo home run in the seventh, and relief pitcher Marc Iozaa retired the side as part of 1.1 scoreless innings. Both offenses cooled down in the eighth, and Miami carried a 12-8 lead into the ninth.

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Michigan looked to mount a final comeback and loaded the bases. With two outs, Turner singled to left and drove in two runs. Senior closing pitcher Austin Berggren then recorded a strikeout to end the game, securing a 12-10 Miami victory.

Miami claimed its second win over a Big Ten opponent this season and improved to 26-13 on the season. The RedHawks return to Mid-American Conference play this weekend, hosting Central Michigan University for a three-game series from April 24-26.

luebbeb2@miamioh.edu