May 21, 2011
Final Stats
Photo Gallery
ATHENS, Ohio-Ohio first baseman Tyler Backstrom was hit by a 1-1 pitch from Miami reliever Brandon Adkins with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th inning to send home second baseman/third baseman Bryan Barnes with the winning run to give the host Bobcats a 10-9 season-ending victory Saturday at Bob Wren Stadium.
Ohio finished at 27-27 and 11-16 in the Mid-American Conference and fell just short of qualifying for next week's Mid-American Conference Tournament after Bowling Green clinched the eighth and final seed by splitting a doubleheader at Buffalo on Saturday. Miami, who dropped to 32-27 and 18-9 in the league, will be the No. 3 seed in next week's conference tournament at VA Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe, Ohio.
Bobcat center fielder Ethan Newton continued his torrid hitting, going 4-for-5 Saturday with two RBIs. Barnes also went 3-for-6 with two runs scored. Seven RedHawks notched two hits and first baseman Kyle Weldon added a three-run homer to right in the first inning.
Bobcat reliever Shane Henkel (1-0), the sixth Ohio pitcher of the day, got the win by pitching a scoreless 10th inning, allowing just a walk. Starting pitcher Jason Moulton made his return to the rotation and lasted seven innings with two earned runs with two strikeouts and no walks. Miami reliever Shawn Marquardt (3-6) took the loss after being charged with a run (the last one) on two hits without recording an out. RedHawk starter Brooks Fiala lasted just three and two-thirds innings, surrendering three runs on seven hits with two strikeouts and no walks.
Ohio responded to Weldon's first-inning blast with eight runs of its own to take a five-run lead heading into the eighth. The Bobcats got one in the third, two in the fourth, one in the fifth and four in the seventh. Right fielder Adam Gecewich knocked in the third-inning tally with a single up the middle, while third baseman Dan Ward and shortstop Wes O'Neill added run-scoring doubles in the fourth. First baseman Taylor Emody knocked in a run with a single to right in the fifth before the big inning came two innings later. In that inning, catcher J.R. Reynolds plated the first one with a bases-loaded single to right center, while shortstop/second baseman Garrett Black sent the next one home with a sacrifice fly to right. Pinch-hitter Chandler Geller also scored from second on that play after the relay throw went into the dugout. Newton knocked in the final run of the frame with another single up the middle.
The RedHawks, to their credit, made the Bobcats work to close this one out, as they scored three runs in both the eighth and ninth innings to take a 9-8 lead into the bottom of the ninth. Newton came up big again, though, as he scored pinch runner Doug Holmes with another single up the middle to send the game into extra innings.
After Henkel shut down the RedHawks in the 10th, the Bobcats quickly chased Marquardt after Barnes and designated hitter Kory Burkhart both ripped singles to start the inning. That brought on Miami reliever Brandon Adkins, who promptly uncorked a wild pitch, allowing both runners to move up 90 feet. The visitors then opted to issue an intentional walk to Ohio left fielder Jensen Painter to set up a force at every base, but that plan backfired after Backstrom's plunking, ending the contest.
Ohio stranded 14 runners, while Miami left 11. Both teams finished with 16 hits and two errors.
Newton went 10-for-15 on the weekend with two runs, four doubles, five RBIs and 14 total bases. He finished the season with a team-high .330 batting average, 20 stolen bases and was the team's only student-athlete to, not only play in all 54 games, but start them as well.
The program recognized seniors Barnes, reliever Ryan Burgett, Burkhart, Gecewich, O'Neill and catcher Trace Voshell in a pregame ceremony.
