BOX SCORE I PLAY-BY-PLAY

OXFORD, Ohio – The Eastern Kentucky University baseball team led for the first six innings on Wednesday night, but Miami University rallied for four runs in the bottom of the seventh to take the lead and went on to defeat the Colonels, 6-3, at McKie Field in the second game of this week’s home-and-home series.

With the loss, EKU drops to 6-15 on the year, while the win improves Miami to 9-11.

Sophomore right-hander Anthony Bazzani started for EKU and pitched effectively through six innings, allowing just one run on six hits as the Colonels took a 3-1 lead into the bottom of the seventh; however, Bazzani loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of that inning before EKU turned to senior right-hander Chris Hord, who promptly surrendered a bases-clearing triple to Ryan Brenner that gave Miami a 4-3 lead it would not relinquish.

Bazzani (0-5) received the loss, despite working 6.2 innings and allowing just four runs on seven hits. Left-hander Seth Varner (1-1) earned the win, as he pitched 1.2 innings and allowed no runs on no hits. Right-hander Brandon Adkins earned his third save of the season and second in as many nights, coming on in the top of the ninth to induce two outs with two men on to end the game.

Junior Jacob Daniel and freshman Bryan Soloman both batted 2-for-4 for the Colonels, while Soloman and junior Richie Rodriguez drove in a run each.

Bryce Redeker led the RedHawks at the plate, going 4-for-4 with two RBI.

EKU struck first in the top of the fifth. After junior Michael Garcia walked to lead off the inning, he went to second on a fielder’s choice by freshman Steve Ferraro, third on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Matt Phipps and then scored on a wild pitch. The next batter, sophomore Austin Grisham, reached on a fielder’s choice and came home on a double to left center by Rodriguez to make it 2-0.

The Colonels added another in the top of the sixth when sophomore Alex Hughes belted a double into right center and then scored on Soloman’s team-leading seventh double of the season to give EKU a 3-0 advantage.

Miami added one in the bottom of the sixth, though, and then took the lead when Brenner blasted a two-out, bases-clearing triple in the bottom of the seventh. An RBI single by Redeker made it 5-3 in favor of the RedHawks before the Colonels were able to get out of the inning.

After Miami added another run in the bottom of the eighth, EKU put two men aboard in the top of the ninth but was unable to drive either in.

The Colonels open conference play this weekend with a three-game series at Eastern Illinois.