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OXFORD, Ohio -- The Miami University softball team earned a series win over Kent State with a doubleheader split on Saturday. The RedHawks took the opener, 7-5. They then made a valiant comeback attempt, but fell, 9-6, in the nightcap. Miami is now 25-15 overall and 10-3 in the Mid-American Conference. The Golden Flashes are 25-15 overall and 8-6 in the MAC.

Kent State scored a run on three hits off RedHawk junior pitcher Carly Mortensen to take a 1-0 lead in the top of the second of the opener. The advantage was short-lived however, as senior Taylor Shuey continued her strong week with a solo home run in the bottom of the third to tie the score at one.

After the Golden Flashes retook the lead with a run in the top of the fourth, Miami went in front for good with four runs in the bottom half of that inning. Junior catcher Lauren Anderson walked and was replaced by a pinch-runner, senior Tanya Busby. Freshman designated player Hannah Girlie put down a sacrifice bunt, but the throw went wide and both runners were safe. Senior outfielder Hailey Reed flew out to right field, but the KSU right fielder made a bad throw and allowed each runner to advance. A wild pitch scored Busby and tied the score. Sophomore third baseman Kat Lee drew a walk. Freshman outfielder Anna Geary then singled to right field to score Girlie and give Miami a 3-2 lead. After junior second baseman Eryn McCarver moved the runners up a base with a sacrifice bunt, a single by freshman shortstop Michaela Schlattman scored Geary and Lee to make it 5-2.

The RedHawks got two insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth. With one out, Schlattman singled to right field. Shuey doubled down the leftfield line to advance her to third. After a walk to freshman first baseman Johniann Wahl loaded the bases, Anderson singled through the left side to score Schlattman and Shuey and give Miami a 7-2 lead.

Those runs proved to be important in securing the victory. Mortensen had kept the Golden Flashes at bay for the first six innings, allowing only two runs. However, two hits and a walk by Kent State loaded the bases with no one out in the top of the seventh. Senior pitcher Amber Logemann came into the contest in relief. The Flashes kept fighting, drawing a bases loaded walk, getting an infield single and reaching on fielding error to pull within two at 7-5. At this point the bases were still loaded with only one out. Logemann then got a groundout and a strikeout to finish off the win.

Schlattman finished the opener 2-for-4 with two RBIs and one run scored. Anderson also drove in two RBIs, while Shuey was 2-for-3 with one RBI and two runs scored. Mortensen earned her sixth victory of the season, allowing three earned runs on six hits while striking out six.

Kent State scored three in the top of the first and one in the top of the third to take a 4-0 lead. Miami fought back in the bottom of the fourth as Girlie doubled to centerfield, while Lee drew a walk. After a groundout moved them up a base, Geary reached on a fielding error by the Golden Flashes' second baseman. That scored Girlie and Lee and pulled the RedHawks to within two at 4-2.

KSU seemed to pull away with a five-run top of the fifth that gave it a 9-2 advantage. However, Miami did not give up as it answered right back with three in the bottom of the fifth. With two outs. Anderson singled to centerfield. Geary drew a walk. Sophomore Kaitlyn Gliha came up to pinch-hit and proceeded to hit a double to deep right center, scoring both runners. Lee then singled through the right side to bring home Gliha and make it 9-5.

The RedHawks loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth with one out. Anderson hit a shot to right field that allowed Geary to score on the sacrifice. Unfortunately that would be as close as Miami could get as it went down in order in the seventh to fall, 9-6.

Gliha finished the nightcap 1-for-2 with two RBIs and one run scored. Girlie was 2-for-3 with two runs scored, while Lee was 2-for-3 with one RBI and one run scored.

Miami returns to action on Tuesday when it travels to Eastern Kentucky for its final non-conference doubleheader of the regular season. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.