OXFORD — The RedHawk baseball team concluded its opening weekend of Mid-American Conference play by dropping a pair of four-run decisions to Western Michigan on Saturday at McKie Field. The Broncos took game one by a score of 8-4 before shutting out the ‘Hawks in game two, 4-0.
The defeats puts Miami at 5-16 (1-2 MAC) on the year while WMU improves to 11-9 (2-1 MAC).
Game 1 Recap – WMU 8, Miami 4
The Red & White jumped out to an early lead courtesy of back-to-back hits to lead it off in the bottom of the first. Brooks Urich got things started with a single though the right side before being brought home by the next batter, J.T. Stone, on a double to the gap in left. Following a Ross Haffey walk, Adam Yacek bunted Stone and Haffey over to put runners on second and third with just one out. A sacrifice fly by Dallas Hall capped the Miami scoring in the frame and gave the `Hawks a 2-0 lead after one.
WMU knotted the contest up with a two-run double in the top of the third.
Miami got back in front with a single run in the fourth. Hayden Senger led off with a base hit to right and was sacrificed over to second on a bunt by Steve Sada. Cal Elvers followed by reaching on a hit by pitch before a Carlos Texidor single to left brought Senger in to score, giving the Red & White a 3-2 margin after four innings of action.
The Broncos grabbed their first lead of the afternoon with a two-run top of the sixth. WMU posted a sacrifice fly and an RBI single to make it 4-3. They doubled their output with four runs in the their half of the eighth. A two-run error and a two-run triple made it 8-4 Broncos.
Miami got a run back in the bottom of the ninth on a Tyler Harris double down the left field line that plated Elvers, but WMU held on for the 8-4 victory to even the series.
Red & White starting pitcher Zach Spears (L, 1-5) went 5.1 frames and allowed four runs on seven hits. He also fanned two.
Game 2 Recap – WMU 4, Miami 0
In a reversal of game one, the Broncos grabbed an early advantage with a two-run first, scoring on a wild pitch and an error on the same play.
WMU widened their lead with a two-run double to right center in the top of the third, giving the Broncos all they needed en route to a 4-0 victory.
Miami got the bases loaded with no out in the bottom of the ninth but they could not get the big hit to extend or end the contest.
