OXFORD, Ohio – The RedHawks decimated Ball State Friday 20-4 after four different players hit home runs and Clayton Burke held the Cardinals to eight hits in seven complete innings of work. Tommy Harrison recorded seven RBIs during the contest, bringing his season total to 50. Miami moves to 19-10 (9-5 MAC) with the win, while Ball State drops to 15-14 (10-4 MAC).

HOW IT HAPPENED


Miami pulled ahead 2-0 in the first. Harrison and Ryan Novak each walked and Ignacio Gonzalez delivered a two-run single up the middle.
Burke pitched a one-two-three inning in the top of the second for the RedHawks. Diego Cruz led off the bottom of the inning with a single and scored as Christopher Roa came up with an RBI bunt single. One more run scored on a single by Harrison.
Dominic Krupinski led off the third inning for Miami with a double. Roa walked and Krupinski scored on a single by Marcus Dierks. Evan Appelwick then walked to load the bases and Harrison added four RBIs to his stats by crushing a grand slam to right field. The blast marked his ninth home run of the year. One at bat later, Gonzalez took a solo shot to left field, his fifth home run of the season, to make it a 10-0 lead for the RedHawks.
The Cardinals scored their first run of the ballgame in the top of the fourth as the leadoff batter hit a home run to left field. The RedHawks answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the fourth, loading the bases with no hits and scoring on a wild pitch to make the score 11-1.
Leading off the fifth, Novak hit a home run to right field, his fifth of the year. Gonzalez walked and Carson Raether took a two-run shot to right field to make it 14-1. Still with no outs, Miami loaded the bases and Dierks walked to make it 15-1. Cruz scored as Appelwick grounded out and Harrison hit a two-RBI single to make it an 18-1 game. With two outs, Raether singled to add one more run and cap off the eight-run, four-hit inning for the RedHawks.
Jamie Rasmussen recorded a single in the sixth and Miami loaded the bases with an HBP and a walk. Rasumessen scored Miami’s 20th run as Keenan Proctor walked.
Ball State scored three runs in the top of the seventh, but Burke recorded the final three outs to enforce the run rule and finish his second complete game as a RedHawk, a 20-4 victory.

 
MIAMI GAME NOTES:


Dierks went 1-for-2 with two RBIs and two runs.
Appelwick recorded four walks, an RBI, and a run.
Harrison went 3-for-4 with seven RBIs and three runs.
Novak went 1-for-3 with an RBI, two runs, and two walks.
Gonzalez went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs.
Roa had three walks and scored four runs.
Burke pitched the second complete game of his Miami career and held the Cardinals to four runs and two walks with 106 pitches.

 
UP NEXT:
The RedHawks will look to sweep the Cardinals tomorrow in game three. First pitch has been moved up to 10 a.m. due to inclement weather.