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OXFORD, Ohio -- The Miami University softball team split a pair of hard-fought pitching duels against Ohio on Senior Day Saturday. The Bobcats took a 2-1 victory in the opener, while the RedHawks returned the favor with a 2-1 win in the nightcap. Miami is now 26-19 overall and 11-5 in the Mid-American Conference. Ohio is 28-20 overall and 9-8 in the MAC.

The victory in the second game was a milestone for head coach Clarisa Crowell in that it was her 100th win at Miami. She is the sixth coach in the Red and White's history to reach 100 victories.

The first game remained scoreless until the RedHawks struck in the bottom of the fourth inning. With two outs, senior outfielder Hailey Reed singled to centerfield. Freshman outfielder Anna Geary then drew a walk. That caused Ohio to replace starting pitcher Danielle Steine with reliever Savannah Jo Dorsey, who nearly threw a perfect game against Miami on Friday. Freshman shortstop Michaela Schlattman made sure Dorsey would not be perfect on Saturday, singling down the leftfield line to scored Reed and give the `Hawks a 1-0 lead.

Junior pitcher Carly Mortensen had kept the Bobcats at bay through the first four innings, however Stiene led off the top of the fifth with a solo shot to tie the game. Senior Amber Logemann came in to relieve her, however the Bobcats used a hit by pitch and a double to take a 2-1 advantage in the top of the sixth.

With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, senior outfielder Taylor Shuey doubled to right center, but a fly out to centerfield ended the contest and gave Ohio a 2-1 victory.

Reed finished the game 2-for-3 with one run scored. Mortensen allowed one run on five hits in 4.0 innings pitched. Logemann took the loss, allowing one run on two hits in 3.0 innings pitched.

The nightcap was another battle, this time between Dorsey and Miami junior Kelsey Fredericks. Once again the `Hawks got on the board first, this time with a run in the bottom of the third. Junior leftfielder Jenna Jones reached on an error when her bunt attempt was thrown away by Ohio's third baseman. Schlattman then followed with a sacrifice bunt attempt. This time Dorsey threw it away to put runners on second and third with no one out. One batter later, Shuey singled up the middle to score Jones.

It remained that way until a walk and double in the top of the sixth scored a run for the Bobcats that tied the score at one.

In the bottom of the sixth, junior designated player Lauren Anderson was hit by a pitch and replaced by a pinch-runner, freshman Chloe Melanson. A sacrifice bunt from Geary moved Melanson to second. She advanced to third on a long fly out to rightfield by sophomore third baseman Kat Lee. Sophomore catcher Rylee Whispel followed with a pop up to short, but the Bobcats' shortstop dropped the ball, allowing Melanson to score.v In the top of the seventh, Logemann came back into the contest in relief and retired Ohio in order to earn her fifth save of the season.

Fredericks earned her fourth victory of the season, allowing one run on only five hits in six innings pitched.

Miami hits the road next weekend for a series at Akron. The teams will play a single game on Friday at 3 p.m. and follow it up with a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m.