CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The Miami University softball team (4-5) fell by a 6-4 margin in both of its games on Saturday at the Frost Classic, first to Saint Francis and then to Southern Illinois Edwardsville, despite having a lead during both games.

Miami 4, Saint Francis 6

Courtney Vierstra moved up to fifth in program history with 11 strikeouts in the game to bring her career total to 492. Vierstra pitched 6.1 innings before Brianna Pratt came into the game as relief, striking out the first and final two batters she faced in the seventh.

Miami left three on base through the first two innings on two hits and a hit by pitch before scoring the first runs of the game in the bottom of the third inning. Morgan Lott reached base on an error and advanced to second on Allie Cummins' second single of the game. Lott stole third and Cummins followed to second with two down. Hannah Obrey reached base on a fielding error that scored both Lott and Cummins to give the RedHawks a 2-0 lead after three innings.

Saint Francis had its first two hits of the game in the top of the fourth to tie the game at two. Both runs were unearned as the lead-off batter advanced on an error.
The score remained tied at two until a solo home run with one out in the top of the sixth inning gave SFU its first lead of the game. Miami trailed 3-2 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning.

Saint Francis added to its lead in the top of the seventh with a one-out home run that brought the margin to 6-2.

The RedHawks rallied in the bottom of the seventh inning to score two runs but could not extend the game and fell by a 6-4 margin. Mackenzie Moore led off with a single, advanced to second on a ground ball from Maclai Branson and scored on an RBI single from Lott. Jada Dotson brought Lott home with an RBI single and advanced to second on the throw but would remain on second to end the game.

Six different Miami players recorded a hit with Cummins going 2-of-4 to lead the way. Lott and Dotson each had an RBI as Lott also scored twice.

Miami 4, SIUE 6

Brianna Pratt got the start in the circle for the RedHawks, going five full innings before Vierstra came into the game as relief.

Morgan Lott had the first hit of the game but it was SIUE that had the first run of the game. In the bottom of the first, the Cougars hit a two-run shot with one out to take a 2-0 lead into the second inning.

The score remained 2-0 until the top of the third inning when the RedHawks took a 4-2 lead. Haeley Tran hit a lead-off double and advanced to third on an error that saw Lott safe at first. Tran scored Miami's first run as Branson reached first on a second error by SIUE. Dotson hit a two-out RBI double to score Lott and Branson and scored on the next at-bat off an RBI double from Cummins, her second double of the game.

Miami held onto the 4-2 lead until SIUE regained the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning with three runs. A two-run home run tied the game at four before a runner stole home to give the Cougars a 5-4 lead heading into the sixth.

SIUE added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning on a wild pitch with two outs. Dotson doubled in the seventh inning but Miami could not score.

Cummins and Dotson led the Miami offense going 3-of-4 with two doubles each. Cummins had two RBI while Dotson had one.

UP AHEAD

The RedHawks wrap up action at the Frost Classic on Sunday as they face Saint Louis at 9 a.m.