ATHENS, Ohio – The Miami University softball team (28-14, 13-4 MAC) won both games at Ohio (28-19, 9-8 MAC) in Saturday's doubleheader. Miami shutout Ohio in the first game by a 9-0 margin before winning game two by a 6-1 margin.

Miami 9, Ohio 0

Courtney Vierstra started the game in the circle for the RedHawks. She pitched the complete-game shutout, giving up six hits and three walks while striking out five batters over seven innings. Vierstra's five strikeouts brings her career total to 354 to tie for the eighth-most in program history. She has 193 strikeouts this season, which ranks seventh in a single season in program history.

Miami got the lead-off batter on base each of the first two innings and was able to break through in the second. Jenny Vasquez was hit by a pitch to begin the second inning before scoring on Lily Wilmot's fifth home run of the season that gave the RedHawks an early 2-0 lead.

Miami had just one hit until the sixth inning when it increased its lead to 5-0 with three runs on four hits. Morgan Lott led off with a double and advanced to third on a fly out from Ashton Slone. Lott scored on an RBI single by Johniann Wahl. Adriana Barlow pinch ran for Wahl. Vasquez drew a walk and Kara Leckinger was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out. A pitching change was made for the Bobcats after the walk to Vasquez. Wilmot and Jada Dotson each hit one-out RBI singles to keep the bases loaded.

The RedHawks scored four more runs in the top of the seventh to make it a 9-0 ball game. Lott, Wahl and Vasquez loaded the bases with one out as each hit a single. Leckinger brought Lott home for the first run of the inning. Wilmot hit her second home run of the game to score the RedHawks' final three runs.

Wilmot led the Miami offense, going 3-of-4 with two home runs and six RBI. This is the first time this season an individual has hit more than one home run in a game for the RedHawks offense. Lott (2-of-4, two runs, double) and Wahl (2-of-4, RBI) each had multi-hit games while Vasquez (1-of-1, three runs, two walks) reached base each trip to the plate. Wahl's two hits brings her career total to 169, which ties the 10^th most in program history.

Miami 6, Ohio 1

Brianna Pratt got the start in the circle for the RedHawks. She pitched six innings, giving up one run on six hits and one walk. Pratt stuck out two batters.
Vierstra came into the game as relief in the bottom of the seventh. She did not give up any runs and struck out one batter.

Miami left runners on second and third to end the top of the first inning. Ohio loaded the bases with no outs but three-straight infield plays by Miami's defense, including two force-outs at home, kept the game scoreless.

The RedHawks got onto the scoreboard first, scoring one run in the top of the third inning. Mackenzie Moore hit a lead-off single and stole second. Lott hit a one-out RBI double to score Moore. Wahl hit a single to move Lott to third but the runners were stranded on the corners to end the inning.

Lott hit her fourth home run of the season, a solo shot, in the top of the fifth inning to increase Miami's lead to 2-0.

Ohio scores its first run of the day in the bottom of the fifth inning, a solo home run, to cut the RedHawks' lead in half.

Miami tacked on two runs in the sixth inning to extend its lead to 4-1. Leckinger led off with a single and was pinch run for by Hannah Obrey, who advanced to second on a passed ball on the next pitch. Dotson reached base on an error that saw Obrey to third. Moore scored Obrey on her groundout to first. Haeley Tran singled to score Dotson.

Lott led the Miami offense (3-of-4, run, two RBI, double, home run). Wahl (2-of-4, double) and Leckinger (2-of-4, RBI) also had multi-hit games. Wahl's two hits bring her career total to 171 to tie the ninth-most in program history.

UP AHEAD

Miami and Ohio conclude the Battle of the Bricks on Sunday with a game scheduled for noon.