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Miami baseball gets a series tie against Florida International University

<p>Junior pitcher Tyler Bosma throws a pitch during his freshman season</p>

Junior pitcher Tyler Bosma throws a pitch during his freshman season

Miami baseball in Miami, Florida, was a roller-coaster ride, as the team played a tough four-game series against Florida International University.

The RedHawks lost their first game in the series, 3-1, but bounced back for Saturday’s first game and won, 21-4. 

Miami lost the seven-inning game on Saturday evening, 8-4, and fought back again to win, 15-6, in the series closer on Sunday.

Miami loses a well-fought battle

Friday’s game was a “battle of the pitchers,” as the score stayed 1-0 from the third inning to the seventh inning. 

Starting pitcher Sam Bachman had a rough start as the Panthers loaded the bases with two singles and a hit-by-pitch. But Bachman ended the inning with three strikeouts, and two one-two-three innings followed. 

In the third inning, third baseman Mac Hippenhammer was hit by a pitch and stole second base, and left fielder Cristian Tejada walked. 

After first baseman Michael Morissette and second baseman Will Vogelgesang struck out swinging, designated hitter Cole Andrews reached first base on an error by the Panthers’ first baseman. This brought in a run for Miami.

Florida International had an opportunity to bring in some runs in the fourth and sixth inning, but Bachman shut them out. 

The Panthers made a small comeback in the seventh and eighth inning. In the seventh inning, Florida International tied the game, 1-1, with a walk, a steal and an RBI single. In the eighth inning, the Panthers took a 3-1 lead with a double, an RBI single and a couple of sacrifice plays.

An 11-run inning

In Saturday’s first game, the RedHawks scored 11 runs in the eighth inning. 

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Vogelgesang doubled, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on another wild pitch. First baseman Stephen Krause walked and scored after a single from right fielder Nate Stone and an error from Florida International’s right fielder. 

Catcher Nate Stolze hit a two-run bomb and designated hitter Dalton Back hit a solo home run afterward. 

Pinch hitter Nick Clark was hit by a pitch and advanced to second base on a passed ball. Shortstop Tyler Wardwell walked, and Hippenhammer grounded out to advance the runners.

Tejada walked, and Vogelgesang hit a sac fly to bring in a run. Pinch hitter Nick Neibauer walked and Stone singled to bring in Wardwell. Stolze then hit a two-RBI single and Back hit a two-RBI double to put four more runs on the scoreboard. 

Miami led 20-1 by the end of the inning. 

The RedHawks avoid a shutout

The Panthers made a comeback early in Saturday’s second game that went only seven innings.

In the third inning, Miami quickly got two batters out. But after a double and an error by Wardwell that brought in a run for Florida International, followed by a walk and another error by starting pitcher Kenten Egbert, the Panthers took a 4-0 lead after a three-run homer was hit. 

Florida International extended its lead to 8-0 with a walk, an RBI single and an RBI groundout in the fourth inning, and a single and a two-run home run in the fifth inning. 

The RedHawks avoided a shutout in the sixth inning. Back walked and Krause was hit by a pitch. Stone hit an RBI double to bring in one run. Substitute catcher Nick Neibauer singled, bringing in two more runs, and later scored himself. 

Although Miami got some runs in the game, the team fell short, 8-4, by the end. 

Miami makes a comeback in extra innings

Florida International had the lead until the ninth inning in Sunday’s series closer.

Starting in the second inning, the Panthers put two runs on the scoreboard with a couple singles, a walk and a two-RBI single. In the third inning, Florida International brought in another run with two walks and an RBI single. 

In the fourth inning, the Panthers extended their lead, 6-0, with a single, a couple of reaches — one on an error from relief pitcher Jay Wilson and another on a fielder’s choice — a two-RBI single, another walk and another RBI single. 

In the fifth inning, Miami started to catch up. Hippenhammer and center fielder Benji Brokemond were hit by a pitch, Vogelgesang hit an RBI single and Stone lined out to bring in another run.

With a series of singles and walks, the RedHawks rounded the bases slowly to bring in four runs and tied the game, 6-6, in the ninth inning. 

Miami took the lead in the 10th. 

Vogelgesang hit an RBI double and Stone hit a three-run bomb to put the RedHawks in the lead, 10-6. Stolze walked and Krause homered to clear the bases again. 

Tejada walked, Hippenhammer singled and Brokemond hit an RBI single to bring in Tejada. Back walked to load the bases, Vogelgesang singled and Stone was hit by a pitch to extend the lead to 15-6, which was the final score.

The RedHawks head to Conway, South Carolina, to play against the University of Connecticut this Friday at 12 p.m. 

Saturday’s game is against Coastal Carolina University, and Miami ends the weekend with a game against Davidson College. 

The game against the Chanticleers starts at 3 p.m. Saturday, and the game against the Wildcats starts at 11 a.m. Sunday.

@lilyfreiberg

freibell@miamioh.edu

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