April 8, 2017 Box Score
Game 1 Box Score (PDF) 
Game 2 Box Score (PDF)
OXFORD, Ohio -- Miami University softball team split a doubleheader against the visiting University of Toledo at home. The RedHawks picked up their first home loss of the year but came out of the weekend with their second series win in Mid-American Conference Play. The `Hawks are now 20-16 on the year with a 6-5 MAC record.
Game 1 -- Miami 14, Toledo 1 (5 inn.)
After being set down 1-2-3 in the first, Toledo designated player Samantha Golden lined a ball down the left field line for the first hit of the game. RedHawk junior left fielder Kaitlyn Gliha had other ideas, throwing her out at second by plenty.
The RedHawk bats stayed quiet in the first two innings before going on to explode for eight runs in the third. To begin the onslaught, sophomore shortstop Michaela Schlattman blasted a solo shot over the left field wall. Senior second baseman Eryn McCarver followed with a single before junior third baseman Kat Lee sent another ball over the left field fence to make it 3-0. Following a single by sophomore first baseman Johniann Wahl, Toledo starter Leah Allison was removed in favor of Alissa Noble.
Miami's lineup did not falter. Noble surrendered a single to junior designated player Megan Wurts and then walked Gliha to load the bases. Junior catcher Rylee Whispel proceeded to place one in the gap in right-center, clearing the bases and pushing the Miami lead to 6-0. Noble was dispatched without recording an out and replaced by sophomore Kailey Minarchick, who immediately gave up a single to freshman right fielder Haeley Tran that scored Whispel. She retired senior center fielder Jenna Jones for the inning's second out, but Schlattman struck for her second hit of the inning -- a double that brought in Tran and made it 8-0. Minarchick finally brought the marathon inning to an end when she was able to get McCarver to pop out to second.
Freshman starting pitcher Jaime Scher set down the Rockets in the fourth without any trouble save a two-out double from Rocket freshman first baseman Morgan Paaverud. Just like that, the RedHawks were back in the dugout and ready for more hits. They would bat around again, placing their final six runs on the board. Minarchick gave up back-to-back walks to Lee and Wahl to start the inning. Gliha brought in Lee with a single. Minarchick looked like she was poised to minimize the damage after getting two pop outs with the bases loaded, but sophomore pinch hitter Shannon Hohman singled up the middle to bring in Wahl. With the bases still juiced, Schlattman cleared them with a double to the gap in right-center to make it 13-0 and bring her runs batted in total to five on the day. McCarver singled in Schlattman for Miami's 14th run before Minarchick got Lee to fly out and end another disastrous inning.
Scher gave up a single and double in the fifth, but maintained control of the RedHawks' large lead and closed the door to begin the day with a win for the Red and White. Miami's 14 runs tied March 4th's game against Fresno State for the most in a game this season.
Game 2 -- Toledo 4, Miami 0
Determined to avenge the drubbing they took in the first game, the Rockets grabbed a quick 3-0 lead in the first inning of game two. Miami senior starting pitcher Carly Mortensen gave up a leadoff walk to Toledo senior second baseman Chandler Rice, who then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt attempt by junior center fielder Ashley Rausch that resulted in a fielder's choice allowing everyone to be safe. Senior right fielder Celeste Fidge singled to right to score Rice and Rausch and make it 2-0. Mortensen walked Golden before sophomore third baseman Kaitlyn Cozy lined a ball to third that bounced off the glove of Lee and rolled into the dugout, allowing Fidge to score the Rockets' third run.
They would tack another run on in the third when sophomore shortstop Megan Choate was doubled in by Rice after being hit by a pitch and sacrificed over to second by junior left fielder Marriah Wise.
After their 14-run explosion in the first game, the Miami offense could not relocate those timely hits that were so abundant before. Toledo's starter, sophomore Heather Webb, limited the `Hawks to just two hits. Schlattman led off the home half of the first with a walk, but McCarver dribbled back to short, creating a fielder's choice situation where Schlattman was forced out at second. Lee drew a walk to try to keep it going, but Webb retired both Wahl and Wurts to escape. She would breeze through the second and third, but Miami threatened in the fourth.
The RedHawk rally attempt in the fourth began again with a walk -- this time by Wahl. Webb tightened her grip, getting Wurts and Gliha to make weak contact and pop out. Whispel worked a full count and singled up the middle but it was followed by an inning-ending ground out by Tran.
Trying to get to Webb, Wahl worked her to a full count before drawing the walk to begin the sixth. Wurts followed her with single to right -- just the second hit of the game for the `Hawks -- to put two runners on. Webb, however, had other plans; she got a fly out and two strikeouts to once again end a budding rally.
With one out in the seventh, Schlattman was hit by a pitch to give the `Hawks a base runner in their last frame to try to mount a comeback. McCarver grounded to short and, while Schlattman was forced out at second, beat the throw to avoid the game-ending double play. It was a moot point, however, as Lee flew out to center to allow Webb to secure a complete game shutout and hand the `Hawks their first home loss of the seaosn. At the end of the day, though, the RedHawks got the last laugh; they took two-of-three games against the Rockets to win the series.
The Red and White will be back on the diamond on Wednesday when they invite Bowling Green to Oxford before heading to Kent State for three games Friday and Saturday.
