By Jacob Russell

HILLSDALE, Mich. - The five runs Cincinnati knocked in at the tail end of Easton Sikorski’s (Western Michigan) start were all for naught when Michigan’s bullpen slammed the door. 

The Monarchs victimized the Steam’s starter, Jordan Menfee (Southern Indiana), much sooner. A wild pitch with the bases loaded in the bottom of the third inning scored Michigan left fielder Ryan Foley (Wayne State) and allowed shortstop Brendan Regan (Michigan State) to score on a sacrifice fly by the next batter, first baseman Mitchell Smith (Ohio State). 

Leadoff man William Morrison, an outfielder from Western Michigan, doubled the Monarchs’ lead in the fifth inning with a two-RBI double that brought in Foley and Regan. Menfee was responsible for all of the above runs, but his outing of four innings and change in which he allowed two hits, struck out three and walked five didn’t affect his 2-0 record. 

When the Steam finally got the best of Sikorski in the top of the sixth inning, they certainly knocked him around. Second baseman Eddie Pursinger’s (Dayton) lone hit of the day, a two-RBI triple, was enough to earn him Warsaw Federal Player of the Game honors. Pursinger reached home later in the inning thanks to a Griffin Merritt (Cincinnati) double. The other Eddie in the lineup, shortstop Eddie Rivero (Xavier), plated Merritt with a single before scoring his team’s last run of the game himself.

Sikorski, who came into the game with a 2-1 record, didn’t get a decision after giving up eight hits and five runs (four earned), striking out seven and walking one in five and one-third innings.

In the seventh inning, Michigan responded to Cincinnati’s five-run sixth by forcing their will on lefty reliever Nick Byrnes (Ohio). A wild pitch, fielder’s choice, third baseman Gavin Doyle’s (Western Michigan) RBI double and an error by the shortstop added the four earned runs to Byrnes’ book. Byrnes, who is now 0-2 on the season, was on the hook for the loss for his three innings of work despite striking out three.

After Sikorski was relieved by Jack Phillips (Northern Illinois), Phillips, winning pitcher Evan Tenuta (Notre Dame) and saving pitcher Grant Jebbia (Louisiana Lafayette) each threw at least one hitless inning to close out the game 8-5 in favor of the Monarchs. 

Wright State’s Jake Schrand (1-1, 2.29 ERA) is the probable starter for the Steam on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. Cincinnati travels to the Richmond Jazz for a 5:35 p.m. doubleheader on Tuesday.

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