DeKALB, Ill.—Seven home runs on the day, including three from freshman Karli Spaid, bolstered the Miami University softball team in a doubleheader sweep at Northern Illinois University on Saturday afternoon. The RedHawks' hot-hitting helped the team break the Mid-American Conference single-season record for home runs. Miami (45-8; 35-2 MAC) seized the first game in six innings, 9-0, and captured a 12-10 decision against the Huskies (19-36; 13-26 MAC) in the nightcap.
GAME ONE:
- After two scoreless innings, Miami picked up a run in the top of the third inning when junior Riley Coyne scored off an NIU error to go up 1-0. Spaid pushed the Miami lead to 4-0 in the top of the fourth inning with a three-run blast over the right-field fence.
- The RedHawks tacked on three more runs in the top of the fifth off an RBI single by senior Mackenzie Moore, a sacrifice fly from junior Adriana Barlow that plated Coyne, and an RBI single from senior Morgan Lott. A two-run homer by freshman Holly Blaska in the top of the sixth was the icing on the cake as the RedHawks pushed their advantage to 9-0.
- Lott was 3-for-4 at the plate with a run and an RBI to lead the RedHawks in the opening game.
- Senior Courtney Vierstra pitched a beautiful game, giving up just two hits and walking none while striking out nine in the six-inning shutout to move to 25-3 in the circle.
GAME TWO:
- Spaid belted a two-run homer over the right-field fence in the top of the first to hand Miami an early 2-0 lead. NIU fired back with five runs in the bottom of the inning to push ahead, 5-2.
- A two-run shot over the left-field fence in the top of the second by Barlow shrunk the gap to one, and another two-run blast from Spaid later in the inning put the RedHawks on top, 6-5. The Huskies evened things up with a run in the bottom of the inning.
- After a scoreless third inning, Miami rattled off five runs in the top of the fourth. Senior Jada Dotson led off the inning with a solo home run before junior Allie Cummins belted a three-run homer. NIU scored one in the bottom of the inning to put the score at 11-7 in favor of the RedHawks.
- Freshman Karlee Juarez hit an RBI double in the top of the fifth inning to push the MU lead to 12-7. NIU came back with three runs in the bottom of the inning to pull within two, 12-10, but that would be as close as it would get.
- Spaid was an impressive 3-for-3 at the plate with three runs, four RBI, and a walk.
NOTES:
- Spaid moves into sole possession of first in both single-season categories at Miami with three home runs and four runs scored. Spaid now has 17 home runs and 56 runs scored. She was 5-for-7 on the day with four runs and seven RBI.
- Miami broke the MAC single-season record for home runs and now has 87 on the 2021 season. The previous record was 80.
UP NEXT:
Miami and Northern Illinois round out the four-game series with a noon (ET) game on Sunday, May 16, in DeKalb, Ill.