By Jacob Russell

HAMILTON, Ohio - Cincinnati, playing a home game in Hamilton, came back from a one-run deficit by immediately jumping on the Joes bullpen. 

Joes outfielder Daulton Miller’s (Miami Hamilton) two-run homer in the top of the second inning put his team on top early. 

A Grant Richardson (Indiana) RBI single and Braydon Runion (Walters State CC) sacrifice fly to the shortstop tied the game in the third inning. 

Hamilton received another lead from Miller, in the fourth inning, when he hit an RBI triple off Steam starting pitcher Brock Nartker (Wright State) and came home on a sacrifice fly to right off the bat of Zach Orn (Ivy Tech CC). 

In four and two-thirds innings, Nartker gave up four earned runs on seven hits, struck out two and walked four. He didn’t get a decision because Warsaw Federal Player of the Game Evan Miller (Xavier) got the win in his Steam debut. Miller, while closing out the game, allowed only one hit and struck out nine. 

The third earned run on Joes starter Sammy Barnett’s (Southern Indiana) line was another Richardson RBI, this one a fielder’s choice. When Barnett was relieved after five innings, Hamilton had a 4-3 lead. Barnett, who didn’t get a decision, gave up three earned runs on five hits and struck out eight. 

Lunden Damuth (Miami Hamilton), one of three relievers that contributed to Cincinnati’s seven-run sixth, received his first loss of the summer. A majority of the Steam’s runs in the sixth reached home on Eddie Rivero’s (Xavier) and Runion’s two-RBI singles. 

Yun Chao (Kainan U [Taiwan]) kept opposing bats quiet in the last two innings, but it was all for naught since the Joes had no answer for Evan Miller. 

Games two and three of this series are a Saturday 5:35 p.m. doubleheader at Max McLeary Field. Cincinnati’s projected starters are Dayton’s Kyle LaCalameto (1-3, 4.63 ERA) and Wright State’s Jake Schrand (1-1, 2.10 ERA). 

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