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AKRON, Ohio - In the opening round of the 2017 Mid-American Conference Softball Championship, Miami University's softball team made a late charge, but was unable to best Northern Illinois University, falling, 5-4, Wednesday evening at Firestone Stadium.

The sixth-seeded RedHawks (29-23) maintained a two-run lead for the first three innings, but a pair of home runs allowed the No. 3 Huskies (31-19) to advance in the bracket. Miami will face No. 7 Akron in an elimination game on Thursday at 6 p.m. The Zips fell, 2-0, to No. 2 Ohio in a pitcher's duel that concluded with a two-run walk-off home run.

The RedHawks struck first in the opening inning with the help of two Huskies errors. A two-out single to center by sophomore first baseman Johniann Wahl was misplayed and junior left fielder Kaitlyn Gliha reached third. In the next at-bat, a fielding error by NIU shortstop Kali Kossakowski allowed Wahl and Gliha to score, making it 2-0 Miami.

The RedHawks threatened in the top of the third as Gliha and junior third baseman Kat Lee reached, but the Huskies evaded trouble with a pair of outs. In the bottom half, NIU attempted to challenge, but a clutch double play cut off the charge.

In the top of the fourth, Wurts reached on another fielding error and advanced to third, but was stranded by a strikeout. NIU capitalized in the bottom half by scoring a run on an RBI fielder's choice, followed by a two-run home run to right that knocked Miami starter Shannon Hohman out of the contest. Senior righthander Carly Mortensen entered the game and sat down two Huskies to keep the deficit at 3-2.

NIU extended its lead in the bottom of the fifth as senior first baseman Kayti Grable hit a two-run homer to left-center, making the score 5-2. Miami responded in the next inning as senior center fielder Jenna Jones brought home junior catcher Rylee Whispel with a two-out RBI triple down the right field line, narrowing the margin to 5-3. In the next at-bat, freshman pinch hitter Kara Leckinger made it a one-run game with a RBI single up the middle.

Unfortunately, the RedHawks were unable to finish the rally in the seventh, popping up three times to close the contest.

Hohman allowed four hits and struck out three over 3.1 innings, dropping her record to 6-8 with the loss. Mortensen threw 2.2 innings of relief, allowing three hits. Gliha led the RedHawks' offense, batting 2-for-3 with a run.

Earlier in the day, No. 4 Kent State rode a one-hitter to a 4-1 victory over No. 5 Ball State, while No. 8 Western Michigan upset top-seeded Central Michigan, 3-1, with a late two-run homer. The Cardinals and Chippewas will face off in an elimination game tomorrow at 10:30 a.m., followed by a winner's bracket matchup between Kent State and Western Michigan at 1 p.m.

MAC Softball Championship
Wednesday, May 10
No. 4 Kent State 4, No. 5 Ball State 1
No. 8 Western Michigan 3, No. 1 Central Michigan 1
No. 2 Ohio 2, No. 7 Akron 0
No. 3 Northern Illinois 5, No. 6 Miami 4

Thursday, May 11
No. 1 Central Michigan vs. No. 5 Ball State (elimination game) - 10:30 a.m.
No. 4 Kent State vs. No. 8 Western Michigan - 1 p.m.
No. 2 Ohio vs. No. 3 Northern Illinois - 3:30 p.m.
No. 6 Miami vs. No. 7 Akron (elimination game) - 6 p.m.