SETTING THE SCENE: With just two weeks remaining in the regular season, the Milford High School baseball faces another five-game docket this week as they try to build on a 10-7 record. The Eagles have been solid of late, winning eight of their last 11 outings. With three league games on the slate this week, Milford will try to improve on a 4-5 Eastern Cincinnati Conference record that leaves the team sixth in the conference standings. This week will also see the Eagles learn their post-season fate as the OHSAA Sectional Tournament brackets will be revealed on Sunday (April 30) afternoon.

A LOOK BACK: April 15 at Oak Hills: Milford 14, Oak Hills 2

The Eagles broke open a close game with nine runs over the last three innings to pick up a decisive 14-2 win at Oak Hills. Senior Matt Kirk had the day’s biggest hit as he smashed a sixth inning grand slam to lead the offensive fireworks for Milford.

THE BATS

Kirk had a big day at the plate as he drove in five runs on the strength of the grand slam, while picking up two hits and scoring twice. Wes Reid also came up big, going 3-for-4 with a triple and scoring three times. Keith Carter finished 2-for-4 with a pair of runs, while Dylan Stewart drove in two.

THE ARMS

Junior Mitch Mierke was solid on the hill, yielding just a pair of runs on six hits over five innings. In winning his third game of the year, Mierke walked just one and struck out five. Tyler Barter hurled two shutout frames in relief, striking out three.

April 17 vs. Turpin: Milford 7, Turpin 6

Milford pushed three runs across in the bottom of the sixth inning to score a key Eastern Cincinnati Conference win with a 7-6 triumph over Turpin. Sophomore Brady Sluder plated the winning runs in the frame as his two-run single plated Evan Baugh and Matt Kirk to hand the Eagles the win.

THE BATS

The Eagles finished the afternoon with nine hits, with Baugh and Dylan Stewart picking up two each. Sluder’s big hit provided the winning runs, while Baugh also drove in two.

THE ARMS

Kyle Music earned the start for the Eagles but was replaced by junior Kyle Minton who hurled four sharp innings against the Spartans. Senior George Lucas was the winner for Milford as he pitched two perfect innings with a two strikeouts for his first win of 2017.

April 18 at Hamilton: Milford 12, Hamilton 7

Milford scored eight runs over the first three innings, then staved off a late Hamilton comeback to pick up a 12-7 non-conference win over the Big Blue. Matt Kirk and Kyle Music led the offensive attack, combining for six hits, four runs and four RBI.

THE BATS

Kirk and Music each came up with three hits and two RBI, with the former adding a triple and three runs scored. Wes Reid cracked his first homerun of the year, scoring three times and driving home two.

THE ARMS

The Eagles utilized a bullpen day with seven pitchers each throwing a frame. Junior Tyler Barter started and earned his first career win with a perfect first. Joey Ciraci, Jared Dettmer and Anthony Bassano also pitched a shutout inning each.

April 19 at Turpin: Milford 4, Turpin 3

For the second time in three days, the Eagles picked up an important ECC win over Turpin, this time scoring a run in the top of the eighth for a 4-3 extra inning triumph over the Spartans. Evan Baugh led the eighth inning off with a single and raced all the way home on Matt Kirk’s game-winning triple.

THE BATS

Three Milford players had two hits each as the Eagles piled up 10 hits on the afternoon. Baugh, Kirk and Dylan Stewart each went 2-for-4, while Kyle Minton picked up a two-run fourth inning double.

THE ARMS

Mitch Mierke picked up his team-leading fourth win of 2017 with two shutout relief innings against the Spartans. Baugh was outstanding through the first five innings before allowing two runs in the sixth and ending with a no-decision.

April 20 at Anderson: Anderson 7, Milford 6

In a game that was suspended from early April, Anderson scored three in the bottom of the seventh to come away with a 7-6 victory. Milford struck first when the game resumed in the seventh inning with a pair of runs, but the Redskins’ Austin Springer delivered the winning run in the bottom of the frame.

THE BATS

The Eagles finished one of their best offensive days at the plate, totaling 13 hits but still coming up a run short. Mitch Mierke led the charge with three hits, while Evan Baugh, Chase Witte and Dylan Stewart had two hits each.

THE ARMS

Junior Kyle Music struck out a season-high seven in five solid innings as the starter but ended with a no decision. Kyle Minton was tagged with the loss out of the bullpen for Milford.

April 20 at Walnut Hills: Walnut Hills 2, Milford 1

A pitcher’s duel went the way of Walnut Hills as they picked up a 2-1 win in a game that featured just nine combined hits. MHS had a chance to tie the game in the top of the seventh but pinch-runner Sam Mills was thrown out at the plate trying to score the tying run to end the game.

THE BATS

Milford scored its lone run of the day when Kyle Music raced home on a Walnut error following a double by the junior. Wes Reid finished the day 2-for-4.

THE ARMS

Junior Mitch Mierke absorbed his first defeat of the season, despite solid four-inning outing. Keith Carter’s successful season on the hill continued as he tossed two more scoreless innings.

THE UPCOMING DOCKET: A look at Milford’s schedule for the upcoming week:

• Monday, April 24 vs. Walnut Hills, 4:30 p.m.
  • 2017 Record: 13-6, 6-3 ECC (RV Division I area coaches’ weekly poll)
  • Top Hitter: Senior Gage Carpenter (.471/7 XBH/16 RBI/10 SB)
  • Top Pitcher: Sophomore Loren Williams (0.00 ERA/3-0 record/0 SV)
  • Last Meeting: 2017; Walnut Hills 2, Milford 1
• Tuesday, April 25 vs. Colerain, 5:00 p.m.
  • 2017 Record: 9-6, 8-3 GMC (7^th Division I area coaches’ weekly poll)
  • Top Hitter: Senior Austin Beets (.444/5 XBH/6 RBI/5 SB)
  • Top Pitcher: Senior Jason Fischer (2.67 ERA/2-0 record/1 SV)
  • Last Meeting: 2015; Milford 4, Colerain 2
• Wednesday, April 26 at Kings, 4:30 p.m. & Friday, April 28 vs. Kings, 4:30 p.m.
  • 2017 Record: 11-6, 5-4 ECC (8^th Division I area coaches’ weekly poll)
  • Top Hitter: Senior Maguire Stinson (.400/4 XBH/10 RBI/4 SB)
  • Top Pitcher: Senior Daniel Wagner (1.50 ERA/2-1 record/0 SV)
  • Last Meeting: 2016; Kings 3, Milford 1 & Milford 9, Kings 3
• Saturday, April 29 at Lakota West, 11:00 a.m.
  • 2017 Record: 14-2, 10-2 GMC (4^th Division I area coaches’ weekly poll)
  • Top Hitter: Senior Brennen Martin (.429/4 XBH/15 RBI/5 SB)
  • Top Pitcher: Senior Jacob Kates (0.44 ERA/5-1 record/0 SV)
  • Last Meeting: 2007; Lakota West 10, Milford 0 & Lakota West 11 Milford 5

INSIDE THE NUMBERS: A look at Milford’s statistical leaders through 17 games:

Batting Average: Matt Kirk (.491), Kyle Music (.452), Evan Baugh (.396)

Slugging Percentage: Matt Kirk (.772), Kyle Music (.613), Wes Reid (.525)

On Base Percentage: Matt Kirk (.561), Kyle Music (.528), Evan Baugh (.468)

Runs Scored: Evan Baugh/Wes Reid (19), Matt Kirk (17)

Hits: Matt Kirk (28), Evan Baugh/Wes Reid (21)

RBI: Matt Kirk (21), Brady Sluder (16), Wes Reid (13)

Doubles: Wes Reid (6), Matt Kirk/Kyle Music (5), Dylan Stewart (4)

Triples: Matt Kirk (4), Sam Dobrowolski/Wes Reid (1)

Home Runs: Matt Kirk/Wes Reid (1)

Walks: Sam Dobrowolski (10), Matt Kirk/Wes Reid (9), Dylan Stewart/Chase Witte (7)

Stolen Bases: Matt Kirk (4), Three Tied (2)

Wins: Mitch Mierke (4), Evan Baugh (2), Four Tied (1)

Saves: Jared Dettmer (1)

ERA: Mitch Mierke (1.94), Evan Baugh (2.69), Kyle Music (4.42)

Innings: Evan Baugh (26.0), Kyle Music (19.0), Mitch Mierke (18.0)

Opponents Batting Average: Evan Baugh/Mitch Mierke (.242), Kyle Music (.260)

Strikeouts: Kyle Music (21), Evan Baugh (20), Mitch Mierke (15)

POLL WATCH: Milford continues to receive votes in the latest edition of the Cincinnati Enquirer’s area Division I coaches’ poll, released on April 24. The race for the top spot in the rankings is tight with Moeller continuing to hold a slim lead, despite only receiving two of the 19 first places votes that were cast. St. Xavier and Lakota West each earned seven top nods and trail the Crusaders, with Fairfield and the ECC’s Loveland (one first place vote) rounding out the top-five. Sixth place Mason received the other top votes. The ECC is also represented by Anderson in ninth and Kings in 10^th, with Walnut Hills and Turpin joining the Eagles among other receivers of votes. The coaches’ poll is released every Monday at Noon at preps.cincinnati.com/coachespolls.

COLLEGE BOUND EAGLES: A trio of seniors on the 2017 Eagles’ roster have already announced their intention to continue their athletic and academic careers on the collegiate level. Joey Ciraci will attend will attend Bluffton University, while Matt Kirk has signed a National Letter of Intent at Morehead State University. George Lucas is on his way to Wilmington College.