Miami University
Samford
RedHawks Gain Split on Opening Day
2/7/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Miami University softball team earned a split on its opening day at the Total Control Sports Invite on Friday. The RedHawks fell to Samford, 5-0, in their season opener. Miami came back to defeat Syracuse, 6-4, in the nightcap. The games were played indoors at the Dome at the Ballpark at Rosemont.
Senior pitcher/utility player Remy Edwards shut down the Orange offense in the second game. It was her first appearance in the circle after spending the previous three seasons as an infielder. She allowed only two earned runs (four runs total) on five hits in six innings pitched. She struck out seven.
Miami got things going right off the bat with two runs in the top of the first against Syracuse. Senior outfielder Tiyona Marshall led off by reaching on an error. One batter later, junior outfielder Taylor Shuey reached on a bunt single. Senior outfielder Bree Lipscomb put down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners up a base. Junior first baseman Hailey Reed brought Marshall and Shuey home with a single to right field.
With one out in the top of the fourth, Marshall singled to center field. Sophomore second baseman Eryn McCarver sacrifice bunted her to second base. Shuey followed with a single up the middle to score Marshall and make it 3-0.
The RedHawks broke the game open with three runs in the top of the sixth inning. Junior outfielder Tanya Busby led off with a single. Marshall reached base for the fourth time in the game on a bunt single. McCarver was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no one out. The Orange came back with a strikeout, but a double from Lipscomb scored Busby and Marshall. Reed finished with an RBI groundout that brought home McCarver and made it 6-0.
After being held scoreless on four hits over the first five innings, Syracuse was able to tag Edwards for a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth. In the bottom of the seventh a leadoff infield single followed by a triple made it 6-3. Senior pitcher/designated player Megan Mattera came into the game in relief. While the run did score on an error, Mattera was able to record the three outs to secure the 6-4 win.
Marshall finished the nightcap 3-for-5 with three runs scored. Shuey was 2-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored. Lipscomb and Reed each recorded two RBI in the contest.
The RedHawks were stymied by a strong Samford pitching duo in the opener. Mollie Hanson allowed only one hit over five innings pitched, while Grey Adams finished off the final two innings allowing only two hits. Miami’s best chance to score came in the bottom of the seventh when Shuey and Lipscomb hit back-to-back singles. However, Adams was able to strand them there.
Junior pitcher Amber Logemann got the start and kept the Bulldogs off the board until they scored three runs on three hits and an error in the top of the third. Logemann finished the game allowing two earned runs (four runs total) in five innings pitched.
Miami continues play at the Total Control Sports Invite with two games on Saturday. The RedHawks take on North Dakota at 10 a.m. (EST) and face UIC at 5:30 p.m. (EST).
