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Pitching, defense lead RedHawks’ strong start

MU baseball team is tied for first place in the MAC East despite losing to Ball State.

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By Pete Conrad, Staff Writer 3:14 AM Saturday, April 2, 2011

OXFORD — Long before the Mid-American Conference baseball season started, Miami University coach Dan Simonds said his team might have some pretty fair pitching in 2011.

Turns out he was right.

Even with the RedHawks’ 2-0 loss to Ball State at McKie Field on Friday night, they are tied for first place in the MAC East Division thanks to a pitching staff that leads the conference with a 2.88 earned run average.

“That’s what we pride ourselves on, pitching and defense,” said Miami senior left-hander Tyler Melling, who is 5-0 with a 2.00 ERA that ranks fourth in the MAC.

“We’ve got depth,” Simonds said of his pitchers, “and these guys have filled their roles in terms of challenging the batters and letting the defense work for them.”

The timing is perfect for the RedHawks’ ability to pitch and field. The NCAA has modified the metal in its bats this season.

“The bats don’t have the pop they used to,” Melling noted. “The bat changes make it more important to stress the fundamentals.”

If anything, Miami’s pitching is getting better as the season has progressed. The RedHawks (12-13 overall, 3-1 in MAC) have allowed only five earned runs in their four league games and boast a strong 1-2 punch in its starting rotation with Melling and Mac Thoreson.

Although he was the losing pitcher on Friday, Thoreson allowed only one unearned run in 6.2 innings and saw his ERA drop to 1.88, third-best in the MAC.

“Mac Thoreson competed his tail off,” Simonds said of his sophomore right-hander. I don’t think he has his A game and still got us into the seventh inning with a chance to win.”

The Miami coach said he can go six deep with his starters, also including sophomore Brooks Fiala, junior Shawn Marquardt, and freshmen Seth Varner and Alex Brown.

The bullpen also has been solid with sophomore Brandon Adkins (0.52 ERA with three saves), senior Sam Dawes (1.80 ERA with two saves) and juniors Matt Rosinski and Joe Neff.

Miami will continue its three-game series with Ball State at 3 p.m. today. It has been designated as Buddy Schultz Day at the park.

Sunday will mark the 40th anniversary of the day Schultz set an NCAA record with 26 strikeouts against Wright State. He will throw out today’s ceremonial first pitch to his old battery mate, Gary Cooper, another of Miami’s all-time greats.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2197 or pconrad@coxohio.com.

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