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May 25, 2006
KENT, Ohio - Freshman Eric Darlage went 4-for-5, drove in four runs and scored three more on Thursday as the Miami RedHawks staved off elimination in the second round of the Mid-American Conference Baseball Tournament with an 11-2 victory of Eastern Michigan. Senior Graham Taylor tossed 8.0 innings and scattered nine hits while striking out four to earn his third career victory in the MAC Tournament.
Miami put five runs on the board in the top of the second and chased EMU starting pitcher Will Stewardson from the game as the RedHawks took an early 5-0 lead. Freshman Eric Darlage (Powell, Ohio) plated the first run of the inning with a single to right that brought Jordan Petraitis in to score from third. After Ryne Robinson (Toledo, Ohio) was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Evan Armitage (Milford, Ohio) followed with a fielder's choice groundout that made it 2-0 before junior Brandon Hillier (Hinsdale, Ill.) made it 4-0 with a bases-clearing double down the right field line. Senior Geoff Orr (Orland Park, Ill.) completed the scoring with a double to left center that scored Darlage.
After EMU scored twice in the bottom of the second, Miami responded with three runs of it own and increased its lead to 8-2. With two outs in the inning, senior Eric Radley (Hermitage, Tenn.) started the rally by drawing a walk, which was followed by a single by Darlage. Robinson was hit by a pitch for the second time in the game and Armitage singled, loading the bases for Hillier, who drove in a pair of runs with a single up the middle.
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The RedHawks continued the offensive onslaught in the top of the fourth when Darlage blasted a three-run home run to right that scored Petraitis and sophomore Chris Niro (Walton Hills, Ohio). Darlage's first collegiate home run gave Miami an 11-2 lead.
Taylor shut down the EMU offense following the two-run second inning as he held the Eagles scoreless through the next six innings before turning the ball over to senior Matt Long (Granville, Ohio) to start the ninth. Long retired the Eagles without allowing a run, despite loading the bases with three walks, to secure Taylor's eighth victory of the season.
The RedHawks will play their third game of the tournament at 1 p.m. on Friday against a yet-to-be determined opponent. Sophomore John Ely (Homewood, Ill.) is slated to start on the mound for the RedHawks.
NOTES: SR LHP Graham Taylor had his first collegiate at-bat in the fifth inning ... Taylor became the first pitcher in MAC history to eclipse the 400-inning plateau for his career and finished the game with 407.1 ... FR Eric Darlage set a career-high with four RBI ... Taylor threw 107 pitches.
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