CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The Miami University softball team (4-3) split its games on Friday in the Frost Classic as head coach Clarisa Crowell earned her 200^th win at Miami. The RedHawks fell 1-0 against UNLV in a pitchers' dual before beating the host team, Chattanooga, by a 4-3 margin in eight innings.

Miami 0, UNLV 1

Courtney Vierstra pitched a two-hitter and boasted 12 strikeouts, giving up no earned runs. She struck out the first batter in each inning except for the fifth, and struck out the first two batters she saw in the first three innings. Vierstra had a no-hitter through four innings.

Morgan Lott had a hit in the first and fourth innings, the first two hits of the ball game, but Miami could not capitalize. The RedHawks also left a runner on base in the second inning as the game remained scoreless through four innings.

Hannah Obrey led off the fifth inning with a single but was out on a fielder's choice. Mackenzie Moore hit a one-out single to put runners on first and second base but that's where they'd stay to end the inning.

UNLV was the first on the scoreboard, scoring the lone run of the game in the fifth. The lead-off batter recorded UNLV's first hit of the game and advanced to third before a sacrifice fly brought in the run. Two more strikeouts by Vierstra ended the inning with the RedHawks trailing 1-0.

Miami stranded another runner in the top of the sixth as Allie Cummins was hit by a pitch. UNLV had its second hit of the game in the sixth inning and left runners on first and second.

Obrey led off the seventh with a walk but was stranded at second to end the game after being advanced by a sacrifice bunt.

Lott led the RedHawks offense with her fifth multi-hit game of the season, going 2-of-3.

Miami 4, Chattanooga 3 (8 inn.)

Vierstra came into the game as relief with two on and two outs in the fourth and finished the game to earn the win. Vierstra gave up no runs on one hit while striking out nine. Brianna Pratt started the game in the circle for the RedHawks, pitching 3.2 innings. 

Chattanooga scored first, tallying three runs in the bottom of the second. UTC loaded the bases on two walks and a hit by pitch with nobody out. A force-out at home by the Miami defense kept the game scoreless before a double drove in three runs to give UTC the early lead.

Miami responded with a run in the top of the third inning. Adriana Barlow had the RedHawks' first hit of the game, a one-out double down the left field line. Maclai Branson brought Barlow home with a two-out single to cut UTC's lead to 3-1.

Chattanooga went down in order in the bottom of the third before the RedHawks responded in the top of the fourth. Allie Cummins hit her first home run as a RedHawk to trim the UTC lead down to one run. Holly Blaska was hit by a pitch and stole her second base of the day (one in the UNLV game) but was left at second to end the inning.

Each team went down in order in the fifth with Vierstra recording two strikeouts in the inning.

Haeley Tran led off the sixth with a walk but a fielder's choice and a double play ended the inning with no damage done. Vierstra and the Miami defense forced UTC to go three up, three down to enter the seventh trailing by one.

Obrey evened the score at three in the top of the seventh with a two-out solo home run. Miami's defensive front forced extra innings, allowing no runs in the bottom of the seventh.

The RedHawks began the eighth inning with Barlow on second. Moore led off with a bunt single to move Barlow to third. Moore then stole second. Branson grounded out but scored Barlow to give Miami a 4-3 lead going into the bottom of the eighth.

Vierstra struck out the side in the bottom of the eighth to seal the RedHawks' second extra-inning win this season.

Five different RedHawks recorded a hit as Obrey and Cummins led the way with a home run each. Branson had two RBI's for the RedHawks, including the game-winner.

UP AHEAD

The RedHawks continue play at the Frost Classic on Saturday with games against Saint Francis at noon and Southern Illinois Edwardsville at 4 p.m.