Miami University
Toledo
RedHawk Softball Drops Pair of Games at Miami Softball Invitational
3/24/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 24, 2007
Box Score - Game 1
Box Score - Game 2
OXFORD, Ohio - Dropping a pair of games at its inaugural Miami Softball Invitational, the RedHawk softball team (8-21-1; 0-0 MAC) fell to the Youngstown State Penguins, 7-5, and came out on the short end of a 5-3 decision with the Toledo Rockets Saturday evening in Oxford. Miami's game with Mid-American Conference foe Toledo was the first official night game played at the new $4.5 million softball stadium.
GAME 1 - Youngstown State 7, Miami 5
Undone by Youngstown State's four-run sixth inning, the RedHawks fell to the Penguins, 7-5. Miami carried a 5-3 lead into the top of the sixth before the Penguins plated four runs on a pair of RBI singles and a run-scoring double, as the RedHawks dropped their first game of the tournament.
Sparked by back-to-back RBI hits with two outs, Miami jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Sophomore Alexis Javier started the scoring with her RBI double over the outstretched arms of the Youngstown State leftfielder, and freshman Alicia Hogl followed with an opposite field home run, giving the RedHawks a three-run cushion. Hogl's blast came on a 3-1 pitch and one-hopped Miami's indoor hitting facility beyond the rightfield wall.
Youngstown State responded with a single run in the top of the fourth inning, cutting the RedHawks lead to 3-1. The Penguins took advantage of a pair of hits, a walk and a fielding error in the frame.
After the Penguins tied the game in the top of the fifth inning, Miami regained the lead at 5-3 with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Senior Leslie Macedo's RBI double scored Hogl, who reached base after getting hit by a pitch, and Macedo then came around to score on junior Natalie Savona's run-scoring single up the middle.
Four Youngstown State runs in the top of the sixth put the Penguins in front for good at 7-5. Miami brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the seventh inning, but a two-out popup ended the game.
Sophomore Kelly Cabana (4-4) took the loss in the circle.
GAME 2 - Toledo 5, Miami 3
Falling in the first official night game played at the new $4.5 million Miami Softball Stadium, the RedHawks dropped a 5-3 decision to the Toledo Rockets. Despite multi-hit games from both junior Halle Popson and sophomore Alexis Javier, Miami could not pick up its first win of the tournament.
After Miami jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, Toledo responded with three runs in the bottom half of the inning. The Rockets used a two-out bases-clearing double from Lacey Levier to account for all three of their runs.
Miami battled back to know the game at 3-3 in the top of the third after a Toledo fielding error and a RBI single from freshman Briana Burke, but Toledo answered with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the third. After the Rockets loaded the bases with no outs, a pair of RBI groundouts gave Toledo the lead for good.
Sierra Pereira earned the win by tossing a complete-game six-hitter, while Miami's Alex Vikartofsky took the loss in the circle.
