April 6, 2007
Box Score - Game 1
Box Score - Game 2
OXFORD, Ohio - Braving wintry conditions that included temperatures in the low 30's and snow flurries, the Miami University softball team (13-26-1; 3-3 MAC) split a doubleheader with the Northern Illinois Huskies (14-15; 3-3 MAC) Friday afternoon at Miami Softball Stadium. The RedHawks took game one, 6-4, behind a complete-game pitching effort from freshman Meredith Linch but fell in the nightcap, 3-1, as the Huskies plated the eventual game-winning run in the top of the seventh inning.
GAME 1 - Miami 6, NIU 4
Box Score
Freshman Meredith Linch tossed a complete game, allowing only one earned run, and seven different RedHawks notched hits as Miami handed Northern Illinois a 6-4 defeat in the first game of Friday's twinbill. The reigning MAC East Pitcher of the Week, Linch allowed less than three earned runs in her fourth straight start as the RedHawks won for the fifth time in seven games.
Miami struck first in the bottom of the second inning, as it plated an unearned run off a pair of Northern Illinois errors. Junior Kimberly Williams struck out to lead off the inning, but she reached first after catcher Allie Parker had trouble handling the third strike and bounced her throw off Williams as she ran down to first. Following a sacrifice bunt and a strikeout, freshman Alicia Hogl drew a two-out walk, bringing junior Halle Popson to the plate. Popson laced a hot smash off the glove of Northern Illinois' shortstop Krista McPherson which trickled into short centerfield and scored Williams all the way from second.
Plating two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, Miami extended its lead to 3-0. Another Northern Illinois error allowed the RedHawks second run of the game to score, as rightfielder Jenna Mitchell mishandled Popson's one-out single, which scored pinch-runner Ashley Gartland from second. Miami then pushed across its second run of the frame when sophomore Christine Bills blooped a RBI single into leftfield just out of the reach of both the shortstop and the leftfielder.
Northern Illinois cut into Miami's lead with a single run in the top of the fifth, as Krystn Sendejas' two-out RBI single scored McPherson, who had singled and stole second base.
A pair of Miami runs in the bottom of the fifth extended the RedHawks' lead to 5-1. A pinch-hit RBI single from freshman Briana Burke plated the inning's first run, as she laced the 1-2 pitch for a single just beyond the outstretched arms of a diving McPherson at shortstop. Popson's one-out sacrifice fly then gave Miami a four-run cushion, as she lifted a deep flyball into foul ground down the rightfield line, which allowed junior Natalie Savona to scamper home from third.
Williams' two-out RBI triple in the sixth inning added an insurance run and gave Miami a 6-1 lead. Williams' first career triple plated senior Leslie Macedo, who smoked a double off the base of the leftfield wall to lead off the inning.
Northern Illinois made things interesting in the top of the seventh by pushing across three runs, all of which were unearned, but Linch (6-12) overcame a fielding error to wrap up her eighth complete game of the season.
Popson (2-for-3) was the only Miamian with a multi-hit game, while Popson, Bills (1-for-3), Williams (1-for-4) and Burke (1-for-1) each drove in runs.
GAME 2- NIU 3, Miami 1
Box Score
Undone by a seventh-inning fielding error, Miami dropped game two of Friday's doubleheader to Northern Illinois, 3-1. The RedHawks and Huskies were knotted at 1-1 in the top of the seventh before a Miami fielding error allowed Ellen Stoddard to come to bat and stroke a two-out, two-RBI single, plating the eventual winning runs.
After three scoreless innings, the Huskies put the first run of the game on the scoreboard when Michelle Nendza homered to lead off the top of the fourth.
Macedo responded in the bottom of the inning as she matched Nendza with a home run to lead off the home half of the fourth. Macedo's solo blast, a line-drive shot over the leftfield fence, was her fourth of the season and moved her into sole possession of fourth place on the Miami career home run list. Macedo now has 14 career home runs, one better than Miami Hall of Famer Monique Abbitt (1988-91; 13 career HR's).
The game remained tied until the top of the seventh when the Huskies pushed across a pair of two-out runs. Miami then threatened in the bottom of the seventh when freshman Sarah Billstrom led off the inning with a single, but Huskie pitcher Kate Greenough (9-8) retired the next three batters in order to end the game.
Linch (6-13) picked up the loss in the circle despite allowing no earned runs in three innings in relief of starter Shalise Lugo. Miami was limited to only four hits in the game, with the lone run coming on Macedo's fourth-inning home run.
Miami resumes action against MAC West division opponent Western Michigan tomorrow at 2 p.m. Steve Baker will call the action live on MSNI, and live stats also will be available on GAMETRACKER.
