Miami's pitchers continue to dominate in the MAC Tournament, and have now propelled the RedHawks (35-24) into the tournament's championship game with a hard-fought 5-2 win against Central Michigan (31-27) Friday night. Brooks Fiala (7-4) went 7 2/3 strong innings, allowing just two runs (one earned) while striking out seven and scattering seven hits. He did not walk a batter. Miami is now the only team left with an undefeated record in the tournament, and on Saturday will play in the championship game for the first time since 2005, the last year the 'Hawks won the conference crown.
Rightfielder Ryan Curl had a pair of key doubles for Miami, with the first one leading off the third inning. After shortstop Ryan Kaup bunted him over to third base, he scored on centerfielder Ryan Brenner's single for a 1-0 lead.
The Chippewas evened the score in the top of the fifth with a one-out solo home run. Fiala had retired 11 consecutive batters before he served up the longball. But the 'Hawks went back in front in the bottom of the frame by utilizing the Three R's. By that of course, I mean the three Ryans again. Curl led off the inning with his second double, and Kaup once again bunted him over to third. This time Brenner brought Curl in on a sac fly for the 2-1 advantage.
CMU tied the game back up again with an unearned run in the seventh inning. After the leadoff man reached on an error by Kaup, he moved to second on a sac bunt before scoring on a double. In the bottom of the same inning, the RedHawks once again used the power of a leadoff double. This one came from designated hitter Kevin Bower. Pinch-runner Pat Glass moved up a base on a sac bunt before he scored on Kaup's double, putting Miami back in front for good at 3-2.
It looked like Central was primed to tie the game once more in the top of the eighth as the Chippewas loaded up the bases with two outs. But Matt Rosinski settled down to get the inning-ending groundout.
The 'Hawks added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the inning. After two quick outs to start the inning, firstbaseman Kyle Weldon singled and leftfielder Bryce Redeker followed with a double that put both men in scoring position. They both came home on a pinch-hit single by Nate Bowles. In the ninth, Sam Dawes came on and got three easy outs for his ninth save of the season.
Once more, the RedHawks must now wait to find out who they will next play. On the other side of the bracket, the top-seeded Golden Flashes of Kent State (41-15) were upset 4-2 by Eastern Michigan (37-21) in Friday's other bracket final, setting up an elimination rematch between the two to be played early Saturday. Naturally this gives the RedHawks an advantage, as they will be fully rested when they take the field about 45 minutes after the KSU-EMU game. Miami was 1-2 versus Kent State during the regular season (May 6, 7 & 8), but did not face Eastern Michigan this year.
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