May 14, 2008

Complete Release in PDF Format

MIAMI WRAPS UP REGULAR SEASON AGAINST KENT STATE: The RedHawks welcome Kent State to McKie Field at Hayden Park for the final conference weekend of the 2008 season. The sereis begins at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 15, while Friday's game and Saturday's game will start at 6 p.m. and 1 p.m., respectively. Saturday's game marks Senior Day as seven RedHawk seniors play their final game at McKie Field at Hayden Park.

ABOUT THE GOLDEN FLASHES: Kent State has the top record in the MAC East Division and has clinched a spot in the Mid-American Conference Tournament. The Golden Flashes have an overall record of 31-19 and a MAC record of 14-7. Doug Sanders leads the team with a .392 batting average and is one of six Kent State players with a batting average above .300 (min. 100 at bats). Greg Rohan is the top power hitter and run producer for the Golden Flashes with 18 home runs and 54 RBIs this season. On the mound, Chris Carpenter has a 3.84 ERA, the best among Kent State starters, but Kyle Smith has a team-high eight wins.

THE SERIES WITH KENT STATE: The Golden Flashes lead the all-time series, 84-72-1, but Miami has a 36-33-1 edge over Kent State in Oxford. Kent State has won three consecutive meetings over Miami, including a 4-3 win over Miami in the Mid-American Conference Tournament a season ago.

SENIOR DAY: Prior to the start of Miami's season finale against Kent State on Saturday, May 17, seven Miami players, seniors Steve Antoniotti, Evan Armitage, Nate Halm, J.D. Mynhier, Chris Niro, Bobby Oberschlake and Chris Rodriguez will be honored as they play their final game in a RedHawk uniform.

HIT PARADE: In Miami's loss to Indiana State on Tuesday, May 13, the RedHawks scored 12 runs on 20 hits. The 20 hits collected by the RedHawks are the most hits by a RedHawk squad since Miami defeated Quinnipiac 34-6 in the NCAA Tournament on June 4, 2005. On that day, Miami registered 33 hits against the Bobcats.

PETRAITIS EXTENDS HITTING STREAK: After a 3-for-6 performance against Indiana State, junior Jordan Petraitis extended his hitting streak to 16 games. During his 16-game hitting streak, Petraitis is batting .412 with three home runs and 13 RBIs. Petraitis also had a 14-game hitting streak earlier this season.

TOUCH `EM ALL: Prior to May 4, junior Josh Hula was batting .186 without any home runs and 13 RBIs. Hula has snapped out of his slump over the last five games and has been Miami's top power hitter. In the last five contests, Hula is batting .579 (11-for-19) with four home runs and 11 RBIs. The Castalia, Ohio native is also boasting a slugging percentage of 1.316 and an on-base percentage of .591 during that stretch. Because of his hot hitting, Hula has upped his batting average to .247. Against Indiana State on Tuesday, May 13, Hula drove in a career-high four runs.

ONE-TWO PUNCH: Over the past four conference weekends, juniors Tommy Nurre and Jordan Petraitis have been swinging hot bats for the RedHawks. In the past 12 Mid-American Conference games, Nurre is batting .490, while Petraitis is hitting .360. The two are also leading the MAC in four statistical categories, while ranking among the top six in several other categories. Nurre is first in MAC-only play in batting average, doubles and on-base percentage, second in slugging percentage and fourth in hits and total bases. Petraitis ranks first in conference-only contests in triples, third in on-base percentage and tied for fifth in walks.

MOVING UP THE CHARTS: Juniors Tommy Nurre and Jordan Petraitis have both had career years this season and both players moved up the Miami single-season charts this week. Nurre moved into sole possession of second place on Miami's single season doubles list (20), while Petraitis sits in a tie for fifth place with 18 doubles this season. The most doubles hit by a RedHawk in a single season was 21 by Keith O'Hea in 1988. Petraitis also cracked the single-season triples chart with his fourth three-bagger of the season against Ohio on May 10, while moving into 10th place on the career hits chart (205).

NURRE GOES FOR SEVEN: In the first game of Miami's doubleheader against Ohio on Saturday, May 10, junior Tommy Nurre had a game to remember. Nurre went 3-for-5 and drove in a career-high seven runs. Nurre hit a RBI double in the first inning, a grand slam in the second inning and a two-run home run in the sixth inning. Nurre's seven RBIs are the most RBIs in a game since Eric Darlage drove in five runs on April 1, 2007.