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May 19, 2002

Box Score

OXFORD, Ohio - Miami University's new ballpark McKie Field at Hayden Park was formally dedicated this Sunday afternoon to Joseph P. Hayden and family, and in the ensuing doubleheader the RedHawks (30-26, 16-12 Mid-American) split with the Kent State (33-19, 18-8 MAC) Golden Flashes to force the MAC Tournament site to Bowling Green. The Red and White lost the first contest 3-1 but responded in the nightcap with a 4-1 victory to become the No. 6 seed in this week's MAC Tournament.

In the first of two pitchers' duels the Kent State ballclub got on the scoreboard first when it rattled senior pitcher Billy Kieninger (Xenia, Ohio/Xenia) for two runs in the fourth frame. The first of the Golden Flashes' runs in the frame was unearned for Kieninger when Phil LoCascio reached on a throwing error to commence the inning. Pat O'Brien drove in one run with a double to left-center field, and he was driven in one batter later on a triple by Brady Glass.

The RedHawks notched their only run of the contest in the bottom of the fourth when freshman Paul Frietch (Montgomery, Ohio/Moeller) drew a base on balls. Sophomore Ryan Edginton (Chester Springs, Pa./Arizona State) reached on a fielder's choice when Kent State forced Frietch out at second base. Edginton moved over to second on a wild pitch, and across the plate two batters later when junior Andi Scheidt (Cincinnati, Ohio/LaSalle) hit an RBI single to center field.

With a 2-1 advantage the Golden Flashes delivered one more run to their tally in the fifth frame to collect the 3-1 victory. Both starters went the distance for Kent State and Miami as Matt Lorenzo earned his fifth win of the season for the Golden Flashes. Despite pitching seven solid innings and allowing only two earned runs, three total, Kieninger drops his fifth decision to fall to 5-5 on the year.

Miami dominated the first three innings of the nightcap as it tallied one run in each of the first three stanzas. Junior Mike Galloway (St. Thomas, Ontario/Central Michigan) hit his 15th home run of the season in the first frame, while Edginton also hit a solo shot in the second to give the RedHawks a 2-0 lead. Galloway figured into the scoring again in the third frame when he got things rolling for the RedHawks with a one-out single to right field. Already running on the play on the next at-bat Galloway surged to third base on a single to left field by Edginton; Edginton advanced to second on the throw to third by the left fielder. Galloway crossed the plate for Miami's third unanswered run when Kent State's Jason Biniker missed his mark and sent a pitch to the backstop.

Tossing his best game of the season on the mound for the RedHawks was junior Adam Keel (Fairfield, Ohio/Fairfield) who faced two more batters than the minimum in the first three innings. The Golden Flashes finally tarnished Keel's outing with a run in the fourth frame to cut their deficit to 3-1. The run was scored when Glass stole second after being hit by a pitch, and Tom Martin lofted an RBI double to right field that landed on the foul line to score Glass from second.

After allowing the one run in the fifth Keel locked into the rubber and shutdown the Golden Flashes for the remaining five innings. He received one run of insurance in the fifth inning and cruised to the 4-1 victory to improve to 3-5 on the season. Keel was named player of the game by allowing one run in his first complete game of the season. Credited with the loss for Kent State was Biniker who falls to 4-1.

Miami finishes the regular season with a 16-12 conference record, the same record as last season when it advanced to the MAC championship contest. The win was the deciding factor in the question of where the tournament will be held as Bowling Green earns the distinguished honor with a 12-9 win over Akron this afternoon.

The RedHawks are the No. 6 seed in the MAC Tournament and square off against No. 1 Bowling Green on Wednesday, May 22 at 4 p.m. on Bowling Green's Warren Steller Field. Bowling Green is the top seed, Eastern Michigan the two, Kent State the three, Ball State the four, and Central Michigan rounds out the field as the fifth seed.