OXFORD, Ohio – The Miami University softball team (33-14, 16-4 MAC) travels to Akron for the 2019 MAC Tournament this week, following its first MAC Regular Season Championship in program history. The MAC Tournament takes place from Wednesday, May 8 through Saturday, May 11 and is double elimination.

The top-seeded RedHawks play No. 8 Western Michigan on Wednesday at 1 p.m. The winner plays the winner of the No. 4 Northern Illinois/No. 5 Central Michigan game on Thursday at 1 p.m. while the losers of the two games face off on Thursday at 10:30 a.m.

Miami swept Akron in front of the home crowd to conclude the regular season with a 16-4 record in conference play. The RedHawks won six MAC series this season. Miami shutout Akron 6-0 in the first game of the series before winning 4-2 and 7-4 as the RedHawks celebrated the senior class and welcomed back alumnae.

Ashton Slone led the Miami offense during the regular season in batting average (.382), doubles (16), RBI (36), total bases (86), slugging percentage (.632), walks (26) and on-base percentage (.485). The RedHawks offense outscored its opponents 208-138 this season and had 62 more extra-base hits. Courtney Vierstra led the Big Three (Miami's pitching staff) in ERA (1.89), wins (17), appearances (35), complete games (14), shutouts (4), saves (4), innings pitched (155.2), strikeouts (233) and opponents' batting average (.211).

No. 2 Kent State

The Golden Flashes finished the regular season with a 25-22 overall record and an 11-5 mark in MAC play. Kent State split with Bowling Green to wrap up the regular season, shutting out the Falcons 4-0 before falling 1-2.

Sister duo Bailey and Brenna Brownfield lead Kent State's offense this season with Brenna leading in batting average (.366), home runs (5), slugging percentage (.645) and on-base percentage (.433) and Bailey leading in at-bats (142), hits (51), doubles (18), RBI (28) and total bases (75). Andrea Scali leads the pitching staff in ERA (2.20), wins (19), appearances (30), games started (24), complete games (19), shutouts (10), saves (2), innings pitched (162.0), strikeouts (227) and opponents' batting average (.187).

No. 3 Ohio

The Bobcats finished the regular season 31-19 overall and 12-8 in conference play. Ohio swept Buffalo in the final weekend of the regular season, shutting out the Bulls twice and outscoring them 9-1 on the weekend.

Katie Yun and Morgan Geno lead the Bobcats offense with Yun leading in batting average (.407), at-bats (182), runs (46), hits (74), total bases (136) and doubles (18) while Geno leads in home runs (19), RBI (59), slugging percentage (.810), walks (38) and on-base percentage (.505). Madi McCrady leads the Ohio pitching staff in wins (20), appearances (36), games started (32), complete games (24), shutouts (3), innings pitched (196.2) and opponents' batting average (.224).

No. 4 Northern Illinois

The Huskies concluded the regular season with a 26-23 overall record and an 11-9 record in MAC games. Northern Illinois won its final series of the regular season, beating Western Michigan two games to one. NIU won the first game in 11 innings and dropped game two 7-8 before shutting out the Broncos in the final game to take the series.

Katie Keller and Jenny Van Geertry lead the NIU offense. Keller leads in batting average (.411), doubles (19), slugging percentage (.677) and on-base percentage (.490) while Van Geertry leads in runs (34), hits (55), home runs (9), RBI (27) and total bases (92). Mackenzie Bryan pitches the majoring of the innings (152.1) and also leads the pitching staff in ERA (2.99), wins (14), appearances (34), games started (25), complete games (14), shutouts (4), strikeouts (122) and opponents' average (.257).

No. 5 Central Michigan

The Chippewas had a 21-26-1 overall record to finish the regular season and went 11-9-1 in conference play. Central Michigan fell to Toledo in the final series of the regular season, losing two games by one run each while winning the middle game 6-2.

Erika Underwood leads the CMU offense in batting average (.358), at-bats (134), hits (48), doubles (10), home runs (8), RBI (31), total bases (84), slugging percentage (.627), walks (25) and on-base percentage (.470). Kaitlyn Bean and Samantha Howell share time in the circle with Bean leading in ERA (3.81), wins (8), games started (20) and strikeouts (70) while Howell leads in complete games (6), saves (3) and opponents' average (.284). They each have 28 appearances and over 100 innings of work.

No. 6 Ball State

The Cardinals earned a 34-18 mark in the regular season and a 9-8 record in conference play. Ball State played two non-conference games in Purdue Fort Wayne and Oakland the final weekend of the regular season, winning both.

Stacy Payton leads the Ball State offense in triples (2), home runs (9), RBI (43) and total bases (91) while Haley Dominique leads in at-bats (163), runs (43), hits (52), doubles (13), walks (30) and on-base percentage (.448). Three pitchers on the Cardinals' staff have put in more than 80 innings of work each this season in addition to Alyssa Rothwell being on staff as the main reliever. Rothwell has 14 saves in 25 appearances and has an ERA of just 1.17.

No. 7 Toledo

The Rockets finished the regular season 23-25 overall and 10-9 in MAC play. Toledo won the series against Central Michigan to wrap up the regular season, winning the first and third games of the series.

Katie Cozy and Kylie Norwood lead the Toledo offense with Cozy atop of the batting average (.329), RBI (30) and total bases (83) while Norwood leads in at-bats (162), runs (35), doubles (14) and stolen bases (7). Each have 53 hits. Erin Hunt leads the Rockets pitching staff in ERA (2.65), wins (11), appearances (29), games started (20), complete games (15), shutouts (5), saves (2), innings pitched (137.1), strikeouts (158) and opponents' average (.210).

No. 8 Western Michigan

The Broncos were 18-26 overall during the regular season and 9-11 in conference play. WMU lost its final MAC series to Northern Illinois, winning the middle of the three games after losing game one in 11 innings.

Sydney Stefanick leads the WMU offense in batting average (.384), hits (53), home runs (12), RBI (47), total bases (97), slugging percentage (.703) and on-base percentage (.412). All three of Western Michigan's pitchers have an ERA under 4.00 with Stefanick leading the way in wins (10), appearances (30), complete games (6), shutouts (3), innings pitched (126.2), strikeouts (93) and opponents' batting average (.247).