April 3, 2007

Box Score

RICHMOND, Ky.--A three-run home run by sophomore shortstop Blake Chaffee and a two-run shot by sophomore third baseman Jordan Petraitis fueled Miami University's baseball team to its 10th consecutive win with a 6-2 victory at Eastern Kentucky University on Tuesday afternoon.

The RedHawks, who have won 13 of their last 14 games, improve to 17-9 on the season, while the Colonels dropped to 13-12-1.

After two scoreless innings, Miami put a run on the board in the top of the third inning. Chaffee singled to start the inning and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. With two outs, an error by the EKU shortstop put runners on the corners for the RedHawks. Senior centerfielder Brandon Hillier hit an RBI single through the right side to plate Chaffee and give Miami a 1-0 lead.

Miami padded its lead in the top of the fourth inning. Singles by sophomore catcher Eric Darlage and sophomore designated hitter Tommy Nurre put runners on first and second. Chaffee stepped to the plate and hammered his first career home run as a RedHawk, a three-run shot, to push Miami's lead to 4-1.

Eastern Kentucky closed to within two in the bottom of the fifth inning, 4-2, but Miami added to its lead in the top of the ninth inning when Petraitis hit a two-run home run, also scoring junior second baseman Evan Armitage to give Miami a 6-2 advantage. It was Petraitis' second home run of the season.

After giving up a single in the first at-bat in the bottom of the ninth, senior reliever Bailey Pratt struck out two straight batters, before a ground out gave Pratt his fourth save of the season en route to the 6-2 Miami win.

Chaffee paced the RedHawks at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two runs and three RBIs.

Miami returns to action on Wednesday, April 4 when the RedHawks travel to Purdue University to battle the Boilermakers at 4 p.m.