OXFORD, Ohio – The Miami University softball team (25-14, 10-4 MAC) took both games against Buffalo (9-28-1, 6-6-1 MAC) on Friday. Miami shutout Buffalo by a 4-0 margin in the first game before winning the second by an 8-1 margin.
Miami 4, Buffalo 0
Courtney Vierstra got the start in the circle for the RedHawks. She reached 10 strikeouts for the seventh time this season, totaling 13 strikeouts. Vierstra earned the complete game strikeout, giving up no runs on four hits and two walks. She now ranks eighth in single-season strikeouts with 177 this year.
The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the fifth inning when Miami put one run on the board.
Mackenzie Moore reached base on error with two outs and scored from first on an RBI double by
Morgan Lott.
Miami increased its lead in the bottom of the sixth with a three-run inning to take a 4-0 lead after six.
Ashton Slone led off with a double.
Johniann Wahl and
Jenny Vasquez both walked to load the bases with nobody out.
Lily Wilmot hit a long RBI single to score
Adriana Barlow, whom had pinch run for Slone.
Jada Dotson was hit by a pitch to force in another run. Moore picked up the final RBI of the inning.
Lott, Slone, Wahl and Wilmot each had a hit while Lott, Wilmot, Dotson and Moore had the RBI's.
Miami 8, Buffalo 1
Brianna Pratt was Miami's starting pitcher for game two. She pitched the complete game, giving up one run on five hits and one walk. Pratt had a career-high nine strikeouts.
The RedHawks took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Slone hit a two-out double and scored on a single from Wahl. This was Slone's 14 th double of the season, which ties for the 10 th most in a single season in program history.
Buffalo tied the game in the top of the third. The Bulls loaded the bases on a trio of singles before scoring a run on a wild pitch.
Miami took the lead back with two runs in the bottom of the third inning to lead 3-1. Lott led off with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from
Haeley Tran. Slone was intentionally walked and Lott stole third on the play. Wahl singled to score Lott.
Kara Leckinger drove in
Zoe Bishop from second with an RBI single as Bishop was pinch running for Slone.
The RedHawks increased its lead to 5-1 with two runs in the fourth. Moore and Lott each hit a one-out single. Lott stole her second bag of the game to put runners on second and third. Tran brought in Moore on an infield ground-out. Slone reached base on a throwing error that saw Lott home.
Miami increased its lead to 8-1 in the bottom of the sixth. Moore reached on an error and made it to second. Moore advanced to third on Lott's at-bat and scored on a single from Tran. Slone singled to advance Tran to second. Wahl hit an RBI single to score Tran before Vasquez walked to load the bases. Leckinger batted in one with a single to end the inning.
Wahl (3-of-4, three RBI) and Leckinger (3-of-4, two RBI) led the Miami offense. Lott (2-of-4, two runs) and Slone (2-of-3, two runs, one RBI) also had multi-hit games for the RedHawks.
UP AHEAD
Miami and Buffalo will wrap up the three-game series on Saturday at 1 p.m.
