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OXFORD, Ohio – The Miami University softball team earned a split with Butler in non-conference action on Tuesday. The RedHawks took the opener, 5-3. In a pitcher’s duel, the Bulldogs scored a run in the top of the seventh to gain a 2-1 win in the nightcap. Miami is now 25-20 on the season, while Butler is 22-23.
The opener remained scoreless until the Red and White scored two in the bottom of the third. Junior designated player Tanya Busby led off and reached on a fielding error. Junior outfielder Taylor Shuey sacrifice bunted her over to second. A triple by senior first baseman Shanyn McIntyre brought Busby home and put Miami on the board. Senior outfielder Bree Lipscomb followed with a single into right center to score McIntyre and make it 2-0.
The RedHawks followed with two more runs in the bottom of the fourth. Freshman second baseman Kaitlyn Gliha led off with a single to leftfield. She advanced to second on a passed ball, and to third on a sacrifice bunt from senior third baseman Remy Edwards. After a strikeout, senior outfielder Tiyona Marshall walked and stole second. A single to right center by Busby scored Gliha and Marshall to give Miami a 4-0 advantage.
The ‘Hawks completed their scoring in the bottom of the sixth when Marshall singled home Gliha to make it 5-0.
Meanwhile junior pitcher Amber Logemann was steady, keeping Butler off the board for the first six innings. Things got a little tight in the top of the seventh, as the Bulldogs used four hits and a walk to score three runs and cut the deficit to 5-3. However with runners on first and second and two outs, Logemann refocused and got the strikeout to earn her 21st victory of the season.
Busby finished the opener 2-for-4 with two RBI and one run scored. McIntyre was 2-for-3 with one RBI and one run scored.
Neither team could get much offense going in the second game, as the teams combined for seven hits total. After Miami starter Kelsey Fredericks shut it down for the first two innings, Butler struck first in the top of the third with a solo home run off Edwards in relief. Edwards then kept them in check for the remainder of the third and the fourth, while senior pitcher Megan Mattera came in and kept the Bulldogs off the board in the fifth and the sixth.
Miami’s first 13 batters were retired in order by Butler. Lipscomb put an end to that with a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth over the leftfield wall. It was her sixth of the season.
It remained that way until the top of the seventh. The Bulldogs were able to load the bases with one out off of Mattera. The next batter hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield, allowing Butler to take a 2-1 lead.
McIntyre would get Miami’s second hit of the game with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, but Lipscomb’s deep fly ball to centerfield was caught at the warning track to finish off the victory for the Bulldogs.
The RedHawks return to action on Friday when they travel to Akron for a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.
