Feb. 25, 2011
Final Stats
LOUISVILLE, Ky.- The Miami softball team opened up play at the Louisville Red and Black Tournament with a strong 8-0 win over Wright State. The game ended after six innings due to the eight-run rule. The RedHawks improve to 4-2 on the season, while the Raiders fall to 4-1.
Miami showed its patience at the plate all day, drawing a season-high eight walks. Freshman Kayla Ledbetter led the RedHawks with three in four plate appearances. The game remained scoreless until Miami broke through in the bottom of the third inning. With Jordan McElroy and Meghan Mawn on base, Ledbetter walked to load the bases. Taylor Rice singled through the middle to bring home McElroy and put the RedHawks on the board. Jenna McGivney followed with an infield single to third base that scored Mawn. Shannon Tillett then made it 4-0 with a double down the left field line that brought home McElroy and Ledbetter.
Miami made it 6-0 with two more runs in the bottom of the fourth. After Kathryn Russette walked, Brandi Hernandez replaced her as a pinch runner. Hernandez proceeded to steal second and third base during the same at bat. McElroy would follow with her own walk and then also stole second base. With two outs, Ledbetter then singled up the middle to score both of them.
The RedHawks ended things with two runs in the bottom of the sixth. With two outs, Mawn singled through the right side. Ledbetter followed with her third walk of the game. A wild pitch advanced each of them up a base, and a Rice single would bring both home.
Junior pitcher Jessica Simpson gave up a season-high 10 hits for the RedHawks, but each time she got into a jam she managed to bear down and end the threat to earn her second shutout of the season. The biggest threat came in the top of the first when the Raiders loaded the bases with only one out. Simpson then proceeded to strike out the next two batters to keep a run from coming home. She finished the game with nine strikeouts.
Rice finished the game 2-for-4 with three RBI and one run scored. Tillett was 1-for-3 with two RBI, while Ledbetter was 1-for-1 with two RBI and two runs scored.
Miami continues play at the Red and Black Tournament with back-to-back games on Saturday. The RedHawks will face Boston University at 2 p.m. and then take on the University of Southern Illinois-Edwardsville immediately afterwards at 4 p.m.
