March 30, 2012
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
DEKALB, Ill. - The Miami University softball team won two hard-fought battles as it swept a doubleheader from Northern Illinois to open Mid-American Conference play Friday. The RedHawks won the opener, 8-5. They then took the opener, 7-6, in eight innings. Miami is now 19-10 overall and 2-0 in the MAC. The Huskies fall to 12-18 overall and 0-2 in the MAC.
In the opener, Miami kept NIU off the board early with two great defensive plays. In the bottom of the first, with a runner on first a double to centerfield looked like it would score Dani Parrish, but a throw from Jordan McElroy to Kylie McChesney to Kayla Ledbetter would get Parrish at the plate. A throw from Kirstie Fehrenbach to Ledbetter in the bottom of the second would also beat the runner to the plate and prevent a run.
The RedHawks struck first with three runs in the top of the third inning. McChesney was hit by the pitch to lead things off. Two batters later, McElroy singled to third base. Daniela Torres would bring everyone home with a home run to deep left field. In the bottom of the frame, Northern Illinois would fight back with two runs of its own to cut the Miami lead to one.
McElroy would single to score McChesney in the top of the fifth. The Huskies responded with a run in the bottom of the inning to make it 4-3.
Miami broke things open with four runs in the top of the sixth. Kristy Arbour led things off with a walk. Kayla Ledbetter sacrificed her over to second. Tiyona Marshall put down a bunt single in front of the catcher. Shanyn McIntyre walked to load the bases. Casey Dress would follow with a single to bring home Arbour and make it 5-3. McElroy walked to bring home Marshall. Torres singled to right field to score McChesney. Megan Mattera completed the RedHawks' scoring by drawing another walk to score Fehrenbach (who had pinch-run for Drees).
The Huskies scored two runs off starter Jessica Simpson in the bottom of the sixth to pull within three at 8-5. Simpson fought back in the bottom of the frame to retire NIU in order and secure the victory.
Torres finished the opener 2-for-3 with four RBIs and one run scored. McElroy went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and one run scored.
Miami struck quickly in the nightcap with five runs in the top of the first inning. Fehrenbach and McElroy led off with singles. Torres followed with her second home run of the day, this time over the right field wall to make it 3-0. Mattera and Larrabee each walked and after a strikeout, advanced a base on a passed ball. Remy Edwards then singled to right field to bring them home and make it 5-0.
Northern Illinois chipped away at the advantage with single runs in the bottom of the second and fourth. The Huskies then took their first lead of the afternoon with four runs in the bottom of fifth off of starter Paige Myers.
With one out of top of the sixth McChesney drew a walk. She advanced to third after the NIU catcher tried to pick her off and threw the ball into right field. Two batters later, McElroy singled home McChensney and tied the score at six.
In the bottom of the seventh, Northern Illinois recorded a single with one out. The next batter also recorded a single, but a relay from McIntyre to McChesney to Torres got the lead runner at third for the second out of the frame. Simpson would come in relief and induced a groundout to send the game to extra innings.
Fehrenbach led off the top of the eighth with a double to left field. Two batters later, Torres doubled to left center to bring Fehrenbach home and give Miami a 7-6 lead. In the bottom of the inning, the Huskies were able to load the bases with only one out. Simpson would bear down and strikeout NIU's two best hitters in Parrish and Stephanie Tofft to end the game and give the RedHawks the victory.
Torres finished the game 2-for-5 with four RBI and one run scored. She had eight RBIs during the doubleheader. Fehrenbach 3-for-5 with two runs scored. Simpson earned the victory, the 82nd of her career. She is only three wins away from tying the all-time MAC career victories record.
Miami continues on the road when it travels to Western Michigan for single games on Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.
