OXFORD, Ohio – The Miami University softball team (10-8) hosts its annual Miami Invitational this weekend. Games are scheduled for Friday through Sunday as the RedHawks host Austin Peay, Dayton and Michigan State.

Miami lost to No. 18 Kentucky by a 1-9 margin in five innings on Tuesday in Lexington. Morgan Lott, Ashton Slone and Haeley Tran recorded hits for the RedHawks with Slone batting in the lone run. All three Miami pitchers saw time.

Last weekend, the RedHawks went 2-1 at the Saluki Tournament in Carbondale, Ill., beating Southern Illinois and Green Bay before getting edged out by Iowa. Senior infielder Johniann Wahl became the program's all-time leader in RBI (115) and walks (92) and was named Miami's Female Athlete of the Week on Monday.

OPPONENT PREVIEW

Austin Peay holds a 12-11 record this season. The Governors split its home opener with North Alabama on Sunday, winning the first game 9-1 before being shut out in the second game 0-4. In the first game, Austin Peay put up seven runs in the first inning and held North Alabama to only three hits. In the second game, the Governors were held to just two hits.

Danielle Liermann leads the Austin Peay offense in hits (28), home runs (8), RBI (20), total bases (55) and slugging percentage (.714) and is second in batting average (.364), at bats (77), runs (16) and on-base percentage (.402). All three Austin Peay pitchers have less than a 4.00 ERA on the season. Morgan Rackel gets the most time on the mound, leading the pitching staff in innings pitched (81.2), appearances (14), complete games (10), wins (8) and strikeouts (91).

Dayton is 7-9 on the season and will play a doubleheader at Eastern Kentucky on Wednesday afternoon before coming to Oxford. The Flyers are on a four-game losing streak after starting the season 7-5. Last weekend, Dayton played at the Colorado State Classic II, losing to Colorado State twice as well as Wagner and Syracuse. Dayton's last win was a 3-2 victory at Belmont on March 2.

Kyle Davidson lead the Flyers offense in batting average (.415), at bats (53), runs (18), hits (22), doubles (4), total bases (32), slugging percentage (.604), on-base percentage (.466) and stolen bases (10) and is second on the team in RBI (10) and home runs (2). Jessica Gilliam leads Dayton's pitching staff in ERA (3.63), wins (3), appearances (12), games started (6), innings pitched (36.2) and strikeouts (23).

Michigan State holds a 7-15 record this season. The Spartans went 2-3 last weekend at the War Eagle Challenge at Auburn. Both of Michigan State's wins came against Mercer while two of the losses came against a ranked Auburn team and the third loss against Louisville. Three of the Spartans' games last weekend were decided by one run.

Ebonee Echols leads the Michigan State offense in slugging percentage (.632) and home runs (3) and is second in batting average (.351), hits (20), doubles (5), triples (1) and RBI (15). Alli Walker leads the Spartans pitching staff in ERA (3.97), wins (4), appearances (15), games started (10), complete games (2), shutouts (2), innings pitched (47.2) and strikeouts (25).