Massachusetts Baseball Falls To Miami (OH) In Series Opener, 9-8

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Massachusetts	4	0	1	0	0	0	3	0	0	8	12	1
Miami (Ohio)	0	0	2	1	0	4	2	0	X	9	9	1

Massachusetts

Miami (Ohio)

OXFORD, Ohio – University of Massachusetts baseball fell to Miami (OH), 9-8, in the Mid-American Conference series opener on Friday afternoon at McKie Field at Hayden Park.

UMass moved to 17-25 overall, and 12-16 in the MAC, while Miami (OH) improved to 33-15 overall and 20-8 in the league.

Reece McCarthy went 3-for-5 on the day with a double and a team-high three runs. Anthony Tirado, Gavin O'Brien and Braden Sullivan all had two hits each, with Tirado and O'Brien registering doubles and Sullivan recording his sixth home run of the year. Tirado and O'Brien tallied two runs apiece, as Sullivan posted one. Ryan Kolben, Ty Fox and Jack Beverly contributed a hit on the afternoon, which included a double from Fox. Kolben totaled three RBI, followed by O'Brien and Sullivan with two each.

On the board first, Massachusetts put up a four-run opening frame. Tirado led off with a walk, before stealing second. Tirado then advanced to third on a ground out. O'Brien doubled to center field to drive home Tirado and make it a 1-0 game. McCarthy singled, moving O'Brien to third. A ground out helped O'Brien across the plate to give the Minutemen a 2-0 lead. Sullivan followed up with a two-run homer, marking his sixth of the year, to extend UMass' lead, 4-0.

The Minutemen added a run to its total in the top of the third to take a 5-0 lead. With one out, McCarthy hit a single to right field. Sullivan followed with a two-out single to aid McCarthy to third base. As Sullivan stole second, the RedHawks catcher threw off target, allowing McCarthy to head home from third.

Miami (OH) scored two runs in the bottom half of the third on two solo home runs to make it a 5-2 contest. The RedHawks pushed across another run in the fourth on a wild pitch to bring the game to a 5-3 score.

The RedHawks added four runs in the sixth to take a 7-5 lead.

In the top of the seventh, Massachusetts reclaimed the lead at 8-7. Tirado doubled to right field to begin the inning and advanced to third on a ground out. O'Brien then singled through the left side with Tirado crossing the dish to bring the Minutemen back within one at 7-6. McCarthy registered a double to left center field to put him and O'Brien in scoring position. Kolben followed with a two-run single to left field, as O'Brien and McCarthy touched home plate to give UMass the 8-7 lead.

Miami (OH) knotted up the game in the bottom half of the frame at 8-8 with an RBI single, before taking back the lead, 9-8, on a wild pitch. The RedHawks were able to hold off the Minutemen in the eighth and ninth to come out on top.

Brandon Wingenroth (1-2) had the loss for Massachusetts, giving up two runs on as many hits, a walk and striking out one in two innings.

Carson Byers (7-1) received the win for Miami (OH), tossing five complete innings with four runs allowed, seven hits, one walk and dealing six strikeouts. Austin Berggren earned his seventh save of the season, allowing no runs, no hits, walking one and striking out two in two innings.

Massachusetts and Miami (OH) prepare for game two of the series on Saturday, May 9, at 1:15 p.m. at McKie Field at Hayden Park.

Scoreboard