FRESNO, Calif. (March 12) - Miami University's baseball team's nine-run outburst was not enough to overcome 11 walks allowed in a 12-9 loss to Bucknell Monday afternoon on Day One of the Pepsi/Johnny Quik Classic in Fresno, Calif. The contest was called after seven innings due to a two hour, fifty minute time limit, per Tournament rules.

For the third time in as many days in Fresno, Miami scored in the top of the first inning. Center fielder Clark Mace (London, Ohio/Madison Plains) stroked an RBI single to right field to give the RedHawks the early advantage.

Bucknell answered by scoring three runs in the next two innings, but Miami rocked Bucknell starter Chris Lackett for five runs in the third to take a 6-3 lead. The frame was highlighted by third baseman Andi Scheidt's (Cincinnati, Ohio/LaSalle) first home run of the season, a three-run blast to right field.

After Bucknell closed the gap to 6-5 with two runs in the bottom of the third, Miami (4-6) scored the game's next three runs, giving the Red and White 9-5 lead. Left fielder Scott Walti's (Libertyville, Ill./North Central) first-career triple in the fourth and designated hitter Tom Yost's (London, Ohio/Jonathan Alder) first home run of the season in the fifth led Miami's rally.

Thanks to a walk and two Miami errors, Bucknell (6-2) was able to cut its deficit in half with two runs in the fifth. In the seventh, Bucknell was not only able to capitalize on two more walks and a hit batter in the seventh to take a 12-9 lead, but the rally pushed the game past the 2:50 mark, giving the Bison the victory.

Eight different RedHawks collected hits in the loss, while Scheidt's three RBI tied a career high.

Miami returns to Pepsi/Johnny Quik action versus Illinois Tuesday afternoon at 1 p.m. (PST).

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