On Saturday, The University of Akron baseball team lost three games against the Miami Redhawks in a tripleheader at Lee R. Jackson Baseball Field.

Miami won their first game of the day, 5-4, in 10 innings after a canceled game Friday due to rain. The Zips then played their two final games, losing both 4-3 and 1-0, respectively.

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On Saturday, The University of Akron baseball team lost three games against the Miami Redhawks in a tripleheader at Lee R. Jackson Baseball Field.

Miami won their first game of the day, 5-4, in 10 innings after a canceled game Friday due to rain. The Zips then played their two final games, losing both 4-3 and 1-0, respectively.

Akron’s loss this weekend gives the Zips a record of 9-29, 2-13 in the Mid-American Conference, while the Redhawks improve to 22-18 and 10-5 in conference play.

It was a character builder for our team, said Head Coach Pat Bangtson. Three outstanding baseball games, with all three being well pitched, we were a hit away or pitch away from winning all three. The effort from this group today was outstanding.

The first game of three on Saturday began with two outs in the top of the fourth, with Miami leading 4-2.

The score remained the same until the bottom of the ninth, when Tyler Begun ripped a two-out game-tying double to right center, driving in Dan Burant, who had walked while Sam Watkins recorded a pinch-hit infield single. However, Begun was thrown out on the play attempting to stretch out a triple.

Miami answered back in the top of the tenth, scoring an unearned run off closer Chris Bassit.  Miami’s Kevin Bower drew a lead-off walk with Pat Glass coming on to pinch run.

Glass then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and over to third on a passed ball. Glass scored the game-winning run on a Ryan Kaup sacrifice fly, when left fielder Brandon White’s throw to the plate bounced over the head of catcher James Sheltrown.

Reliever Scott Foster pitched his best outing of the year, coming in for starter Andrew Brown to begin Saturday’s action, pitching 5.1 shutout innings and striking out four Foster allowed just four hits in the game.

Begun finished the game 3-for-4 at the plate, with two RBIs and a run scored. Drew Turoucy and SamuelTrecaso also drove in runs for the Zips.

In game two, a run in the top of the eighth inning was the difference maker for the Zips, as Miami won 4-3.

Begunwas 2-for-4, doubling and scoring twice to lead Akron. While Alex Loftin received the loss on the mound as he gave up four runs – despite allowing just three hits – in 8.0 innings of work.Benjamin Danzinger pitched a hitless ninth.

Loftin was hurt early as the first three Miami batters of the game reached and scored to make it 3-0 after one. Loftin was nearly unhittable after that, retiring 19 of the next 22 hitters, with two walks and a hit-by-pitch the only Miami batters to reach until the eighth.

Loftin was forced to pitch out of a jam in the sixth after hitting Brad Gschwind to start the inning. Gschwind moved to third with two outs on a groundout and a passed ball, but was stranded when Sheltrown made an exciting play at second base, diving to his left and robbing Adam Weisenburger of a tie-breaking hit.

A second hit batter in the form of Jon Edgington hurt Loftin to start the eighth. Edgington scored the game-winning run in Bryce Redeker’s two-out single through the right side after stealing second.

Akron slowly chipped away at Miami’s lead with runs in the first, third and fourth. Begun led off the inning with a double, while scoring on a Turoucy single to center.

Begun then scored the Zips’ second run, leading off third with a double and scoring on a single by White. Akron tied the game an inning later, after Watkins singled and moved to second on a wild pitch. Burant then picked up his first RBI of the season with a single to center.

We almost doubled them [Miami] up on hits, and we still lost by one, said Bangtson. That’s baseball; it’s a tough day to swallow but our team never gave up until the very last pitch in game three, and I couldn’t be prouder of them.

Miami got the series sweep in the third game, winning a 1-0 in the final game of the day.

Akron’s Myles McVeigh and Miami’s Brooks Fiala were both impressive on the hill. McVeigh allowed just one earned run in 7.1 innings and struck out five, while Fiala threw 8.1 shutout innings to record the win. Bassitt shut down Miami on one hit for the final 2.2 innings and struck out three.

We tried our hardest, but their pitchers were throwing good and it just seemed like their pitchers overcame us every time we did hit the ball, said Begun.

Begunpicked up his sixth consecutive multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 with a pair of singles.

Due to some injuries and some other things, Tyler’s had an opportunity to get in there and play and he’s been outstanding, said Bangtson.

I’m just playing my game right now, said Begun. I’m feeling the ball pretty good right now; some of them I’ve gotten lucky on, but I’m still feeling pretty good.

Miami scored the games only run in the third on a Gschwind sacrifice fly.  Edgington singled to lead off the inning and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and a McVeigh balk.

We got three quality starts this week from the starting pitchers, said Bangtson. It was good to see Myles and Alex Loftin bounce back from those games last week.

The Zips will return to play this Tuesday, when they hit the road to take on West Virginia in Morgantown.

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” #1.2207821:38361827.jpg:Tyler Begun:Tyler Begun has batted 441 since moving into the lead-off spot 9 games ago. Begun also batted 7-for-12 in the Miami series with 3 doubles.:Akron Media Relations”