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SEATTLE – The Miami University softball team battled hard in both of its games to begin the Husky Classic, but extra innings proved to be its undoing on Friday. The RedHawks fell to Ohio State, 8-3, in the opener and Seattle, 4-1, in the nightcap. Both games went eight innings. Miami is now 7-6 on the season.
Ohio State (12-5) struck first in the opener. It scored two runs on a double and a sacrifice fly in the top of the second. It made it 3-0 in the top of the third when it scored one more on a hit and two RedHawk errors. The pitching settled down from there, as junior Amber Logemann and senior Megan Mattera combined to keep the Buckeyes off the board for the next four innings.
Miami got on the board in the bottom of the third. Senior shortstop Kylie McChesney led off with a walk. Junior first baseman Hailey Reed followed with a sacrifice bunt, McChesney was able to advance all the way to third on the play. The OSU first baseman bobbled senior third baseman Remy Edwards’ ground ball, allowing McChesney to score and make it 3-1.
The RedHawks tied the score with two runs in the bottom of the fourth. Junior outfielder Taylor Shuey led off with a walk. Senior outfielder Bree Lipscomb followed with a single. The two moved up on a double steal. One batter later, freshman catcher Rylee Whispel singled, bringing home Shuey. McChesney grounded into a fielder’s choice, as the Buckeyes chose to retire Whispel at second, allowing Lipscomb to score and tie the game at three.
The game remained tied through the next three innings. Mattera came in to relieve Logemann in the top of the sixth and kept the Buckeyes off the board in the sixth and the seventh. In the top of the eighth, Ohio State’s offense came alive as it scored five runs off six hits to break the game open. Miami was able to get a couple of base runners in the bottom half of the inning, but was unable to plate a run as the Buckeyes took an 8-3 victory.
Whispel finished the opener 1-for-3 with one RBI. Lipscomb and senior outfielder Tiyona Marshall also had hits for the RedHawks.
Miami struck first in the nightcap against Seattle (6-14). With two outs in the bottom of the second, McChesney doubled. Freshman third baseman Kat Lee followed with a single through the middle that brought McChesney home and gave the Red and White a 1-0 lead.
In the circle for game two, Edwards kept Seattle at bay for the majority of the game. She kept the opposition off the board until the top of the sixth, when a solo home run just sneaked past the left foul pole to tie the score at 1-1. Mattera came into pitch the top of the seventh and retired Seattle in order to help send the game into extra innings.
In the top of the eighth, Seattle used four hits and an error to score three runs and take a 4-1 lead. In the bottom half of the inning, Miami fought back as Shuey doubled and Whispel singled, but the RedHawks were unable to get a run across.
Edwards finished the nightcap throwing 6.2 innings, allowing one run on seven hits while striking out two. Whispel was 2-for-3 for the game, while Lee was 1-for-3 with one RBI.
Miami returns to action at the Husky Classic Saturday with two more games. The RedHawks will have a rematch against Seattle at 1:15 p.m. (EST). They then will face 19th-ranked Washington at 8 p.m. (EST).
