Miami Student

Issue date: 3/30/07 Section: Sports

Starting pitcher Robert Shannon hurts a pitch toward home during Miami's 6-4 victory over EKU. The RedHawks host the Ball State Cardinals March 30-April 1 at home.

Thanks to strong starting pitching and timely hitting from players like Brandon Hillier (above) and Evan Armitage, the 'Hawks have won six straight games.

It took a few innings for the Miami University offense to get into the swing of things, but Miami starting pitcher Robert Shannon made sure the 'Hawks were within striking distance of Eastern
Kentucky University.

Shannon lasted 7.1 innings, giving up four earned runs on seven hits, walking two and striking out four to help give Miami a 6-4 win.

With the win, Shannon improved his record to 2-0, while Miami improves to 13-9 overall and increases its winning streak to six.

"I thought the team played well, and I pitched well," Shannon said. "I was looking to throw strikes and get ground balls."

Miami Head Coach Dan Simonds was very pleased with Shannon's performance in just his third start of the season.

"Shannon kept the hitters unbalanced," Simonds said. "He's stepping up and has become a key option for us. Last year he didn't throw a whole lot for us in games, but he's a key factor."

The Colonels started the first inning off with a bang, scoring a run off a Shawn Flora double followed by an RBI single by sophomore Matt Davis.

Just like Tuesdays game, in which Miami needed a four-run eighth inning to nip Dayton 9-8, Miami used another four-run rally, this time in the fourth inning, to overtake the Colonels.

Miami's big fourth inning rally started with a bit of luck from sophomore Chris Nadeau. Nadeau hit a hard one-hopper to the first baseman who couldn't handle the grounder and the ball careened into right field.

With one out, Simonds called for a hit-and-run with senior Jeff Carroll at the plate. Carroll took advantage of the space vacated by the shortstop moving to cover second, and stroked the ball through the hole.

With two outs and runners still on first and second, Chris Niro stepped to the plate and ripped a single to right field. Nadeau came around to score on the play, as the throw from right bounced a few seconds too late.

Sophomore Josh Hula added another run on a liner to left field, allowing the runners to advance to second and third on an overthrow to home plate.

Leadoff hitter Evan Armitage decided to join in on the two-out scoring and doubled deep to the left field corner, to bring in two more runs for the RedHawks. The fourth inning ended with the 'Hawks scoring four runs on four hits and an error.

Not wanting to fall too far behind, the Colonels mustered two runs in the top of the fifth to keep the game within reach. EKU scored its runs with two outs and the help of an error.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, looking for an insurance run, Niro legged out a double on a ball hit through the hole on the left side of the infield. Josh Hula came up and drove a single into the outfield, scoring Niro.

The crowd at McKie Field got a bit quiet in the top of the eighth inning, as the cold settled in and EKU began to look threatening. After recording a ground-out and then walking a batter, Shannon was relieved by senior Bailey Pratt. The walked batter eventually scored on sophomore Dylan McMaine's single to left field, but Pratt was able to keep the Colonels trailing by one, striking out the last two batters.

The 'Hawks took a bit of the pressure off in the bottom of the eighth inning on sophomore Jordan Petraitis's RBI single, to give Miami a two-run lead.

Although EKU led off the ninth with a double, the next three batters were retired by junior Bobby Oberschlake on a line out, a ground out and a strikeout. It was Oberschlake's first save of the season, which donned the final curtain for the Colonels.

Simonds was very proud of the win and his team.

"We played better today than we have in a while," Simonds said. "We were definitely better than we were against Toledo last weekend. That wasn't Miami baseball. Today we were able to clean things up, and we played a very good game against a good team."

Miami looks ahead to a three-game weekend series against fellow Mid-American Conference rival Ball State.

After a good tune-up this past week with wins against Dayton and EKU, Simonds is looking forward to this weekends MAC series, knowing his team is ready to play.

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