March 18, 2012
Box Score
OXFORD, Ohio - Jessica Simpson threw the first perfect game of her career Sunday to lead the RedHawks to the Tournament Championship of their own Miami Invitational. Miami defeated Dayton, 8-0 in six innings, to earn the title with Daniela Torres being named the Tournament MVP. The RedHawks outscored their four opponents 28-0 for the weekend to improve their record to 15-9. The Flyers fall to 9-12 on the season.
Simpson was untouchable during her six innings of work. She recorded 10 strikeouts of the 18 batters she faced, getting four groundouts and four fly outs from the other eight batters. Only one ball, a fly out to left field in the fourth, left the infield.
Miami got its offense going with two runs in the bottom of the third. Kirstie Fehrenbach led things off with a single to centerfield. Kristy Arbour moved her to second on a sacrifice bunt. Torres scored Fehrenbach with a single to centerfield. Torres stole second and then reached third on a fielding error by Dayton's centerfielder. Jordan McElroy made it 2-0 when her double to deep right center scored Torres.
In the bottom of the fifth, Torres led off with a single to center field. She advanced to second on a wild pitch and to third on a single by Allie Larrabee. Katie Osburn came in to pinch-run for Larrabee. Two batters later, Osburn stole second, which was followed by a Casey Drees double down the left field line that brought home Torres and Osburn and made it 4-0.
Miami sent the fans home early with four runs in the bottom of the sixth. With one out Torres singled to center and stole second. Larrabee walked, while McElroy put down a perfect bunt for a hit to load the bases. Tiyona Marshall came up and singled through the left side to score Torres and make it 5-0. The next two batters, Drees and Taylor Rice, each walked to force home two more runs and make it 7-0. After an out was recorded, pinch-hitter Kaitlyn O'Donnell came to the plate. She hit a slow roller to the Flyer's shortstop. The shortstop overthrew the first baseman, allowing O'Donnell to reach safely and score Marshall to give the RedHawks the 8-0 run-rule win.
Torres had a great day at the plate, going 4-for-4 with one RBI and three runs scored. Drees was 1-for-1 with a walk and three RBI. McElroy finished 3-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored.
Miami returns to action on Thursday when it travels to Butler for a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m.
