April 27, 2012
Box Score
BUFFALO, N.Y. - Jessica Simpson threw her second no-hitter of the season and third of her career as the Miami University softball team swept a doubleheader at Buffalo on Friday. Behind Simpson, the RedHawks took the first game, 3-0. Miami then used an eight-run sixth inning to earn a 9-3 win in the nightcap. The RedHawks improve to 30-16 overall and 11-5 in the Mid-American Conference. It is the fourth consecutive year Miami has won at least 30 games in a season. The Bulls fall to 14-25 overall and 4-11 in the MAC.
Simpson was completely untouchable in the opener. She allowed only three base runners the entire game, a walk in the first inning and a hit batter and an error in the third inning. She struck out 13 Bulls batters, her second-highest single game strikeout total of the season.
Daniela Torres put Miami on the board with a solo home run over the left centerfield wall in the top of the fourth. She would make it 2-0 in the top of the sixth with her second home run of the game, this time over the left field wall. She now leads the team with five home runs on the season. Kayla Ledbetter would come up next and would make it back-to-back homers with a shot to left center that made it 3-0 and completed the RedHawks' scoring.
Torres finished the opener 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored. Ledbetter was 1-for-3 with one RBI and one run scored.
Buffalo took an early 3-0 lead in the nightcap after scoring two runs in the bottom of the first and one run in the top of the first off of starter Paige Myers. Katie Osburn came in relief and would shut down the Bulls for the next 2.2 innings. Simpson came back in to finish the last 3.1 innings. She would allow a single hit this time, but kept Buffalo off the board to earn the victory and improve her record to 21-12. Simpson has not allowed an earned run over her past 42 innings pitched.
The RedHawks were held off the board until Kylie McChesney hit a home run over the right field wall in the top of the fifth to cut the deficit to 3-1. For McChesney it was her third home run of the season.
Miami broke the game open with eight runs in the top of the sixth. Casey Drees led off with an infield single to the shortstop and was lifted for pinch-runner Brandi Hernandez. Allie Larrabee would follow with a double to move Hernandez over to third. She was replaced by pinch-runner Ashley Zappia. Taylor Rice would then double to right field to both Hernandez and Zappia home and tie the score at three. A single from McChesney and a walk by Kristy Arbour would load the bases. After a fielder's choice groundout got the lead runner at home, Shanyn McIntyre and Torres each drew walks to force home two runs and give the RedHawks their first lead of the game at 5-3. Two batters later, Remy Edwards came up to pinch-hit. She would blast the ball over the left field wall for the grand slam, the first home run of her career to make it 9-3 and complete Miami's scoring.
Edwards finished the nightcap 1-for-1 with four RBI and one run scored. McChesney was 2-for-2 with one RBI and two runs scored. Larrabee was 2-for-4.
The RedHawks continue their road trip when they head to Kent State Saturday for a 2 p.m. contest.
