The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Miami University (Ohio) posts 35-8 win over Quinnipiac to stay alive in Austin NCAA Regional
06.04.2005 | Baseball
AUSTIN, Texas -- Scoring in all but one inning en route to setting an NCAA Regional-record for runs scored (35), Miami University (Ohio) (45-17) collected a 35-8 victory over Quinnipiac (26-24) in front of 3,534 fans at Disch-Falk Field during an elimination game at the 2005 Austin NCAA Regional Tournament on Saturday, June 4. While the RedHawks now move on to play the loser of the Arkansas/Texas regional contest on Sunday, June 5 at 6 p.m. Central, the Bobcats conclude their season with 26 overall wins, a Northeast Conference Championship and their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance.
A two-out error combined with a triple off the bat of first baseman Paul Frietch in the top of the first to produce an unearned run and a 1-0 lead for the RedHawks. Answering right back in the bottom of the inning, the Bobcats loaded the bases with two outs on three base hits before a two-RBI single from Manchester, Conn., native Kevin MacIlvane plated two scores to establish a 2-1 Quinnipiac advantage. In the second, Miami reclaimed the lead with a five-run frame by loading the bases with one out on a hit and two walks in front of a two-run base hit by left fielder Ryne Robinson, consecutive RBI-singles from Brandon Hillier and John Slone and a pair of errors that led to another run. Building on their 6-2 lead one inning later, the RedHawks put together back-to-back singles to open the third before a wild pitch and a two-run triple off the bat right fielder Tyler Tabler made it an 8-2 contest. Still alive in the frame, Miami put two more runners in scoring position with one out following a walk to Robinson and a stolen base prior to a two-run single from Hillier that combined with three fielding errors and a two-RBI base hit from third baseman Brian Canada to produce six more runs and push the RedHawks lead to 14-2.
Failing to sit back, Quinnipiac got a leadoff triple from center fielder Tim Binkoski and a sacrifice fly off the bat of Bryan Sabatella in the bottom of the third to make it a 14-3 ballgame. In the top of the fourth, Miami then received a leadoff walk followed by a triple from Hillier, a sac fly by Frietch and four consecutive two-out hits, including a Jon Franzese triple, to bring in five more runs and claim a 19-3 advantage. A two-run home run from Frietch in the fifth then gave the RedHawks 21 runs on the afternoon before Quinnipiac got two back in the bottom of the sixth on a double from Josh Charry and RBI-singles from both second baseman Ricky Coppola and right fielder Ryan Rizzo. From there, the two teams would trade single runs in the seventh before Miami tacked on one run in the eighth and the Bobcats brought in a pair in the bottom of the inning to make it
23-8 in favor of the RedHawks. Miami University then sent 15 men to the plate in the top of the ninth and plated 12 runs on 10 hits to close the books on the 35-8 victory. After Miami starter Keith Weiser worked only two innings, reliever Matt Long, who worked five innings, picked up the victory, while Quinnipiac starter Chris Wakefield incurred the loss.
Paving the way for the RedHawks' 33-hit attack, which tied the NCAA Regional record for hits in one game, were Hillier, who went 5-for-8 with five runs scored and five RBI, Frietch, who drove in four runs and scored three more behind a pair of hits, and Canada, who went 5-for-7 with three runs scored and three RBI. Quinnipiac, meanwhile, had its offense, which pounded out 17 hits on the afternoon, led by four players with multi-hit outings, including John Delaney, who went 2-for-5, Sabatella, who scored twice and drove in one run during a 2-for-3 outing, and designated hitter Brien Magee, who posted three hits.
Postgame Notes & Quotes
NCAA All-Time Records
• Miami University (Ohio) and Quinnipiac combined for seven triples (Miami - 6, Quinnipiac - 1) which marks the sixth time in NCAA history that two teams have combined for seven triples in one game.
NCAA Regional Records
Individual
• Miami University's (Ohio) CF Brandon Hillier scored five runs, which ties him for second in NCAA Regional history along with five others.
Team
• Fifty-nine at bats by Miami University (Ohio) is the second-most in NCAA Regional history. It ties the record for the most at bats in a nine-inning game previously set by Arizona State in a 27-8 win over UNLV (5/29/1988).
• Miami University (Ohio) (59) and Quinnipiac (42) combined for 101 at bats, which broke the old record of 97 set by Arizona (59) and UNLV (38) on 5/29/1988; then matched by Southern California (47) and Fresno State (50) on 5/29/1988.
• By combining for 43 total runs, the two teams established the highest total in NCAA Regional history breaking the old record of 42 set by LSU and Georgia Tech in a 29-13 LSU win on 5/26/1996.
• Miami University's (Ohio) 35 runs scored marks a NCAA Regional record, surpassing the previous high of 30 set by Arizona State on 5/28/1978, in a 30-5 win over UNLV.
• With 33 hits in the game, Miami University (Ohio) ties the NCAA Regional record set by Rice in a 27-1 win over Wisconsin-Milwaukee (5/29/1999).
• Miami University (Ohio) and Quinnipiac combined for 50 hits, which marks an NCAA Regional record for hits in a game, breaking the old record of 44 set by La Salle in a 17-2 win over Rider on 5/25/1985 (26-18); Arizona State in a 27-8 win over UNLV on 5/29/1988 (31-13); Baylor in a 22-6 win over Minnesota on 5/30/1999 (29-15).
• Miami University's (Ohio) 57 total bases rank as the second most in NCAA Regional history. Notre Dame holds the record with 59 total bases in a 25-1 win over South Alabama on 6/1/2002.
• By combining for 80 total bases, Miami University (Ohio) (57) and Quinnipiac (23) have broken the old record of 73 previously held by Cal State Northridge in a 20-19 win over Mississippi State (5/25/1996) (29-14).
• With six triples in the game, Miami University (Ohio) tied the NCAA Regional mark held by Utah in a 24-3 win over Northern Colorado on 6/6/1960.
MIAMI UNIVERSITY (OHIO)
Team
• Miami University (Ohio) established a school record for runs scored (35), surpassing its previous best of 32, set in a 32-5 win over Pace University on 3/11/1997.
• Miami University (Ohio) 12 runs in the top of the ninth marked a season high, surpassing its previous high of seven set against Dayton on April 5.
Individual
• With one home run in the game, 1B Paul Frietch has now connected on at least one home run in each of the previous five games. Frietch has now hit safely in 15 straight games.
• With two stolen bases in the game, LF Ryne Robinson now has 34 on the season and has surpassed former RedHawks Jason Armetta (1995) and Brian Koury (1983) - each with 33 - for the Miami University (Ohio) single-season record.
• CF Brandon Hillier's five runs scored as well as five hits and five RBI on the day each marked individual game career highs.
QUINNIPIAC
Team
• Quinnipiac falls to 0-2 in NCAA Regional play and is eliminated from the NCAA Tournament.
Individual
• Josh Charry's ground-rule double in the sixth inning marked his first hit of the season.
• C Kevin MacIlvane's two-out, two-run single in the first inning marked his first hit of the Austin NCAA Regional and brought in his 32nd and 33rd RBI of the year.
• 1B Bryan Sabatella registered his 40th RBI of the season on sac fly to center in the bottom of the third inning.
• 3B John Delaney recorded his second multiple-hit game of the tournament with a 2-for-5 outing that included one run scored.
Attendance: 3,534
QUINNIPIAC
Head Coach Dan Gooley
On the Redhawks' performance today: That's back-to-back days that we played good baseball teams. Miami of Ohio was outstanding. They swing the bat well and they deserved to move on to the next step in their quest for Omaha.
On Quinnipiac's first ever NCAA postseason berth: We're in the building stages; we're only eight years old in the Division I college baseball world. In four years we've gone from being 5-39 to 26-24. The university had never won a conference championship or conference tournament, but we did that this year. We had never had the Northeast Conference Player of the Year, but we have one this year in Bryan Sabatella. I think that's pretty solid.
MIAMI UNIVERSITY (OHIO)
Head Coach Tracy Smith
Opening statement: I want to congratulate Quinnipiac for a great season. This was a fluke thing today that should not take away from their season. They have very classy coaches and players. I have been on the other side of that [kind of win] a couple of times, and it is not a good feeling to sit in that dugout. I tip my hat to them. The bottom line for us is that it extends the tournament and gives us a chance to keep on advancing. We look forward to the game tomorrow, and we are going to take it one game at a time.
On the pitching: We are going to start [Freshman RHP John] Ely tomorrow, regardless of who we play. Our hope is to get through that game, and then see how [Sophomore LHP] Keith [Weiser] feels. Our thought process behind that [Weiser going only 2.0 IP vs. Quinnipiac] was to bring him back tomorrow if necessary.
Sophomore CF Brandon Hillier
On the win: It was nice to get the run support because we have been lacking that this year. It has usually been the pitching who has brought us through most of the games.
Senior PH David Franco
On the win: I have never seen anything like this, and it is my fourth year here. Everyone was looking at each other and wondering what was going on. It is just one of those things that you take for what it is worth, a 'W', and move on to tomorrow.
