April 18, 2009
Game one box
Game two box
OXFORD, Ohio - Softball completed their second consecutive 4-0 weekend Saturday with a doubleheader sweep of Northern Illinois. Miami won game one 4-3 and followed it up with a 7-0 win in the nightcap. The RedHawks have won nine of their last 10 games and are now 26-17 overall and 12-4 in the Mid-American Conference. The Huskies are 11-31 overall and 6-8 in the MAC.
The first game was a pitcher's duel to begin as neither team was able to score for the first four and a half innings. In the bottom of the fifth, Miami broke through with two runs. Jordan McElroy doubled to right center to score Alexis Javier. The next batter, Meghan Mawn also doubled to bring home McElroy. Northern Illinois responded with three runs in the top of the sixth off RedHawk starter Jessica Simpson to take a 3-2 lead.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Lauren Odom doubled to score Daniela Torres all the way from first and tie the score at three. Ashley Gartland put down a sacrifice bunt to move Odom to third, and Kelly Cabana hit a fly ball to right field that scored Odom on the sacrifice.
In the top of the seventh, the Huskies got their first two batters on via a walk and a hit by pitch. Meredith Linch came into relieve Simpson and after Northern sacrifice bunted the runners to second and third, she got the last two outs via a strikeout and a groundout to first base. It was her first save of the season.
Mawn finished the day 2-for-3 with one RBI. Javier was also 2-for-3 with one run scored. Simpson pitched six innings for the victory, giving up three earned runs and seven hits.
Miami was much quicker on the offensive attack in game two. The RedHawks scored in the first inning when Sarah Billstrom singled home McElroy. They made it 2-0 in the second when Cabana doubled home Odom.
In the bottom of the third inning with the bases loaded, Miami added three more runs when Odom hit a double to deep centerfield that cleared the base paths. The RedHawks concluded their scoring with two more in the fourth, Mawn and Billstrom recorded the RBIs.
Meanwhile Linch continued where she left off in the first game, pitching a complete game shutout for her eighth victory of the season. She gave up six hits and struck out four.
McElroy was a career high 4-for-4 in the second game with three runs scored. Billstrom was 3-for-4 with two RBI and one run scored, while Odom was 2-for-3 with three RBI and one run scored.
Because of the doubleheader today, there is no game tomorrow. Miami returns to action on Friday when it travels to Athens to take on the rival Ohio Bobcats in a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.
