Miami University
Missouri State
Miami Softball Drops Its Opening Games of 2008
2/15/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 15, 2008
BOCA RATON, FLA. - Coach Kelly Kovach Schoenly's Miami RedHawk softball team was on the losing end of its first two games of the 2008 season, falling at the hands of Missouri State, 1-0, and Long Island, 5-3, at Florida Atlantic University's Strike Out Cancer Tournament in Boca Raton.
Miami's two pitchers--Meredith Linch in game one and Shalise Lugo in game two--both went the distance in the back-to-back contests. Linch was particularly impressive in her outing, yielding only one run and four hits in her seven innings on the mound.
"Meredith set the tone for us," said Schoenly. "It's a shame we weren't able to score any runs for her. If that's what she's going to do for us this year, we should be in good shape."
The RedHawk bats could only muster three runs and seven hits in its 14 innings on Friday. All three of its runs came in the opening inning of game two.
"Hitting-wise, I want to see more of our kids getting on base more consistently and getting more scoring opportunities. One of our goals this year is to steal more bases, and, overall, I was pleased with that phase of the game. Granted, we got caught a couple of times, but we did a good job of stealing three."
The action continues on Saturday as Miami plays North Carolina State at 1 p.m. and host Florida Atlantic at 6 p.m.
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GAME 1 - Feb. 15, 2008 Final Score: Missouri State 1 (1-1), Miami 0 (0-1)
BOCA RATON, FLA. - Sophomore right-hander Meredith Linch allowed only one run, but the Miami RedHawks softball team dropped its season opener to the Missouri State Bears, 1-0, at the Strike Out Cancer Tournament, hosted by Florida Atlantic University.
The only run of the game came in the second inning when the Bears' leadoff hitter Elysha Swider tripled, then came home when the third base umpire called an illegal pitch on Linch.
Linch went the distance on the mound for the RedHawks, striking out nine and walking three in six innings. She allowed just one earned run and four hits.
Miami mounted two scoring threats against MSU, once in the fourth when Sarah Billstrom doubled, but was stranded, and also in the fifth inning when Halle Popson walked and Christine Bills singled her to second. However, Miami's Alicia Hogl was retired on strikes to end the frame.
Among Miami's four hits were two singles by Bills. The senior right-fielder went two for three at the plate in her 2008 debut. Others collecting hits for the Red and White were Popson and Billstrom.
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GAME 2 - Feb. 15, 2008 Final Score: Long Island 5 (2-0), Miami 3 (0-2)
BOCA RATON, FLA. - Miami University lost its second game of opening day, dropping a 5-3 decision to Long Island University, at Florida Atlantic University's Strike Out Cancer Tournament.
Coach Kelly Kovach Schoenly's RedHawks scored their first three runs of 2008 in the bottom of the first inning to match LIU's three-run surge in the top of the stanza. The Blackbirds scored what turned out to be the game-winning runs in the top of the fourth off Miami sophomore right-hander Shalise Lugo.
Lugo went the distance for the RedHawks, yielding four earned runs on nine LIU hits. She struck out one batter and walked two in her season debut.
Miami was limited to just three hits by a pair of LIU pitchers. Senior center fielder Breanna Robinson, sophomore left fielder, and shortstop Sarah Billstrom--the RedHawks' four, five and six hitters--each collected a single and an RBI.
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