March 24, 2002

Box Score

OXFORD, Ohio - In this afternoon's inaugural game at the new McKie Field at Hayden Park, Purdue (6-12) got the better of the Miami University (8-7) baseball team with an 8-0 blanking. The RedHawks managed just four hits against the Boilermaker's Mitch Pruemer, while a seven-run fourth inning was more than enough run support for Pruemer.

In a contest where everything that happens is a "first", ex-Houston Astro and Miami ballplayer Bill Doran '79 officially started the game by throwing the ceremonial first pitch to Don Crain '70. Tossing the real first pitch for the RedHawks was senior Russ Bayer (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North), a ball in the dirt to Purdue's Adam Fazio. Four pitches later on a 3-1 count Fazio slapped a single through the right side for the first hit at RedHawks' new confines.

Both Pruemer and Bayer pitched the first three innings with not much difficulty, but in the top of the fourth frame Purdue knocked Bayer around for seven runs. The first five batters for the Boilermakers all scored before Bayer got Brad Kriner to fly out to center field. Amid the scoring was McKie Field's first triple off the aluminum of Purdue's designated hitter Simon Klink. Mitch Koester followed with a single to right field after Kriner's out, setting up a first and third situation for Purdue's leadoff hitter Fazio. Fazio hit a sharp grounder to Miami's third basemen junior Andi Scheidt (Cincinnati, Ohio/LaSalle) who threw the ball into left field attempting to turn the double play. Junior Adam Keel (Fairfield, Ohio/Fairfield) relieved Bayer to batters later, and allowed two of his inherited runners to cross the plate before retiring Kris Luce and John Gusich.

Purdue tallied one more run in the sixth inning while the RedHawks continued to struggle at the dish. Miami threatened to score in the fifth inning with men on second and third but Pruemer extinguished the threat with two strike outs and a ground out. The RedHawk's had another scoring chance in the sixth inning when junior Mike Galloway (St. Thomas, Ontario/Central Michigan) shelled a double to left field, but junior Michael Carlin (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) failed to drive his teammate home with a fly out to center field.

Pruemer tossed his second shutout of the season needing just 102 pitches to blank the RedHawks. After starting the season with a perfect 3-0 record, Bayer drops his first decision allowing seven runs, six earned, in 3.1 innings of work. Keel pitched 4.2 solid innings of relief, permitting just one run on three hits.

The RedHawks seek redemption in their new ballpark with midweek contests against Xavier on Tuesday, March 26 and IPFW on Wednesday, March 27. The first pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. on both days.

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