TicketsApril 15, 2009
CINCINNATI - The University of Cincinnati baseball team fell behind early and stranded 15 runners as it fell to the Miami University RedHawks 6-1 Wednesday evening in the finale of the Joe Nuxhall Classic at Marge Schott Stadium. Miami improved to 17-15 overall, while the Bearcats fell to 16-17 on the season.
Xavier University won the inaugural classic with a dramatic 10-9 win over Wright State earlier in the day. The Musketeers scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth, before setting down the side in the ninth to earn the trophy. Xavier's Zach Richard was named tournament Most Valuable Player.
The Bearcats found themselves in an early hole as five RedHawks hits and two walks led to a 5-0 lead through two innings.
Cincinnati got on the board in the fifth inning as senior Mike Spina (Newberry, Fla/Newberry) delivered a two-out single to center field, scoring redshirt freshman Zach Collaros (Steubenville, Ohio/Steubenville) and cutting the UC deficit to four runs, 5-1.
Cincinnati was unable to move a runner past second base in the final four innings and the RedHawks tacked on a run in the ninth to make the final score, 6-1.
Spina and junior Lance Durham (Forest Park, Ohio/Roger Bacon) led UC with two hits apiece, while five UC relievers combined to give up two hits and one unearned run in 5.1 innings of relief.
The Bearcats hit the road for a three-game BIG EAST Conference series at St. John's April 17-19 in Jamaica, N.Y.