The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Miami (Ohio)
Baseball Drops 4-3 Series Opener at Miami (Ohio)
May 04 | Baseball
OXFORD, Ohio – The University of Akron baseball team saw a ninth-inning comeback attempt fall one hit short on Friday, losing to Miami 4-3 at McKie Field in the opener of this weekend's three-game series.
The Zips (17-28, 10-9 MAC) trailed 4-2 heading into the ninth, but would spark a rally with Devan Ahart's one-out double into the left field corner. After a pop out, Sam Watkins singled to right center to bring in Ahart and cut the deficit to one. Brady Stewart moved Watkins into scoring position with a single through the right side, but Miami closer Matt Rosinski induced a fly-out from Darius Washington to end the game.
Ahart, Watkins, and Stewart each had two hits for Akron. Samuel Trecaso and Jared Turocy also had multi-hit outings for the Zips – who outhit Miami 10-7.
Senior Andrew Brown (6-6) was the tough-luck loser on the mound, tossing an eight-inning complete game and surrendering just two earned runs. Brown struck out a pair and allowed seven hits.
"Andrew had another solid outing and pitched well enough to win," first-year Akron coach Rick Rembielak said. "We didn't play well defensively behind him and that hurt us."
Miami (23-23, 8-11) got a two-hit game from Bryce Redeker. Reliever Joe Neff (3-0) pitched a third of an inning to take the win, while Rosinski tallied his sixth save. RedHawk starter Shawn Marquardt went 6.2 innings and gave up two runs.
The RedHawks benefited from UA errors in the first and second innings to score its first two runs. Brown issued a two-out walk to Kevin Bower in the first, with Kevin Crummy then reaching on an error by Matt Rembielak at short. Redeker then scored Bower with a single to center. Scott Slappey was hit by a Brown pitch to start the second and advanced on a throwing error by Tyler Begun. Matt Honchel eventually drove in Slappey with a two-out, infield single.
"The two early unearned runs they scored ended up being a big key to tonight's game," Rembielak said.
Akron had tied the game in the top of the second. Trecaso ripped a two-out liner off Marquardt on the mound and moved to second on an error by third baseman Dan Walsh. After Begun walked, Turocy singled to left center to bring around Trecaso.
The teams would play three scoreless innings, before UA tied the game at 2-2 in the sixth. Stewart led off with a single to right, moved to second on a wild pitch, and scored on Trecaso's single to right center.
The RedHawks took back the lead with runs in the seventh and eighth. Ryan Brenner doubled to start the seventh and scored two batters later on Bower's base hit to left. Miami added an insurance run in the eighth with Redeker doubling off the glove of a diving Turocy in left and scoring on Slappey's sacrifice fly.
Akron had a chance to tie the game at three in the eighth. Pinch hitter Brandon Winter drew a two-out walk and tried to score from first on Turocy's double to the right field corner, but the RedHawks would gun him down at the plate to end the inning.
"It's important for us to get back out here and win tomorrow's game," Rembielak commented. "It's a new day and another chance to win a ball game."
Akron and Miami continue this weekend's series at 6 p.m. at McKie Field. Freshman Pat Dyer (3-3, 4.19 ERA) takes the mound for the Zips, while the RedHawks will start Mac Thoreson (5-3, 6.03).
Zips Notebook: Miami's run in the seventh inning was the first earned run allowed by Andrew Brown in 25.1 innings. Brown had not allowed an earned run since the sixth inning of Akron's game at Buffalo on April 13.
