Miami Ohio University Athletics
RedHawks Split with Huskies
3/27/2001 12:00:00 AM | Softball
DEKALB, Ill. (March 27) - Easy come, easy go. Miami University's softball team enjoyed its longest win streak of the season and then had it quickly come to an end as the RedHawks split with Northern Illinois. Miami (11-15; 3-2) captured the first game, 1-0, to record its third straight win. Northern Illinois (7-17; 2-2 MAC) took the second game, 4-3, in eight innings.
A pair of Miami doubles in the top of the seventh inning shattered Courtney Witvliet's no-hitter and lifted Miami to the 1-0 triumph in the first game. With two outs Kristina Mortaloni collected the 33rd double of her career, which also was Miami's first hit of the game. In the following at-bat with two strikes, Angie Gerber drilled a double to score Mary Neal, who was pinch running for Mortaloni, for Miami's lone run of the game.
In the bottom of the third inning, the Huskies threatened to score. Northern Illinois loaded the bases off two hits and a walk, but Miami held off the NIU attack as Abbey Arnold concluded the inning with one of her nine strikeouts.
Abbey Arnold pitched a complete game for the RedHawks, picking up her fifth win of the season and her second complete shutout. She gave up just two hits and walked two.
The win marked the first against the Huskies in the 17-game series since 1988 and the only the second time Miami has topped Northern Illinois in conference action. The last MAC win came in 1984.
In the second game, Northern Illinois opened up a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Miami came back in the third to score two runs and take a 2-1 edge. The RedHawk runs were scored when Jamie Carey singled to score Erin Kucera. Then, NIU's Amy Krahula threw a wild pitch, which allowed Jessica Zogaib to score.
The Huskies came back to knot the game in the bottom of the sixth, 2-2, and sent the contest into extra innings. For NIU Samantha Knoll tripled and then was driven in on a single by Gretchen Szymski.
Miami regained the lead in the eighth inning off four straight singles. Zogaib, Nicki Pelfrey and Carey each bunted for base hit to load the bases. Mortaloni stepped to the plate and nailed a single to score Zogaib. The Huskies, however, answered in the bottom of the inning to win the game. Suzie Rizek doubled to score Christy Johnson and advanced to third on the throw home. Then Paige Shemoski hit a sacrifice fly, which scored Rizek to leave the final tally 4-3.
