OXFORD, Ohio – The Miami University softball team (18-12, 3-2 MAC) travels to DeKalb, Ill. to face Northern Illinois (16-18, 3-4 MAC) in a three-game series this weekend. The series begins with one game on Friday at 4 p.m. ET. and concludes with a doubleheader on Saturday. First pitch on Saturday is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET.

MIAMI SWEEPS BG DOUBLEHEADER

Miami swept its mid-week doubleheader at Bowling Green on Tuesday. The RedHawks won the first game in six innings by a 10-2 margin before taking the second game by a 7-2 margin.

In the first game, Courtney Vierstra pitched the entire game, giving up just one earned run on two hits and two walks while striking out seven. Haeley Tran (3-of-4, three runs) and Lily Wilmot (2-of-3, three RBI) led the Miami offense. Jenny Vasquez (2-of-2, two runs) and Ashton Slone (2-of-4, two RBI) also had more than one hit as the RedHawks collected 12 as a team.

Brianna Pratt started the second game in the circle and went for 5.1 innings, giving up two runs on five hits and three walks while striking out six. She did not give up a hit until the fourth inning. Vierstra relieved her during the sixth. Slone had another multi-hit game (2-of-3, home run, three RBI, two runs) while Morgan Lott had her first of the day (2-of-4, two RBI).

THE BIG THREE STAND STRONG

Miami's pitching staff has the second-lowest ERA in the conference (3.18), the lowest opponent batting average (.230) and is second in total strikeouts (221) and strikeouts looking (57). The RedHawks pitchers collectively rank in the top three in the MAC in eight other categories.

Individually, Vierstra is second in strikeouts (130), third in strikeouts looking (35), third in opponents' batting average (.209) and fifth in ERA (2.43), while ranking in the top 10 in four other categories. Pratt ranks in the top 10 in four categories, two of which are tied for fourth in wins (9) and ninth in strikeouts (62). Taylor Rathe ranks in the top 10 in three categories – her one loss on the season tying for first in the MAC.

MIAMI'S OFFENSE GETS SWINGING

Lott continues to lead the league in triples (4) while Slone is present in the top 10 in five categories. Slone ranks third in batting average (.407) and on-base percentage (.515) to lead her top-10 appearances.

OPPONENT PREVIEW

NIU is 16-18 on the season and 3-4 in conference play, coming off of a split against Ball State in a Tuesday doubleheader.  Northern Illinois won the first game by a 7-6 margin to hand the Cardinals their first MAC loss before dropping game two by a 5-7 margin. In the win, Anne Allen (4-of-4, two runs, one RBI) and Katie Keller (3-of-3, two runs, three RBI) were both perfect from the field. Only two of Mackenzie Bryan's runs were earned as she gave up only two hits. In the loss, Jenny Van Geertry was the only Huskies player to have more than one hit, going 2-of-5.

Keller leads the Huskies' offense in batting average (.437), doubles (13), slugging percentage (.732) and on-base percentage (.518). Jenny Van Geertry leads the team in runs (25), home runs (8), RBI (19) and total bases (66) and is tied for the lead in at-bats (102) and hits (35). As a team, NIU has stolen 64 bases this season, Allen leading with 12.

The Huskies rely heavily on two pitchers –Bryan and Alex Frenz. Bryan leads the pitching staff in ERA (3.50), wins (10), losses (8), appearances (24), complete games (8), shutouts (3), innings pitched (96.0), strikeouts (86) and opponents' batting average (.261). Frenz leads the staff in games started (17) and saves (1), while having a 3.73 ERA through 90 innings of work.