OXFORD, Ohio — Top-seeded Miami defeated Bowling Green 4-1 in the RedHawks' first game at the 2022 MAC Softball Championship Thursday afternoon. Brianna Pratt picked up a complete-game victory in the circle for Miami (37-15-1), going seven innings without allowing an earned run.
 
Riley Coyne and Karli Spaid hit home runs for the RedHawks in the fifth inning to give Miami the lead for good. Bowling Green falls to 30-18.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Kate Kobayashi doubled to the left field wall in the bottom of the fifth for Miami's first hit. Coyne followed with a two-run blast to left-center to break a scoreless tie. Spaid drove a solo shot to left with two outs to give the RedHawks a 3-0 advantage.
• BGSU broke through for a run in the top of the sixth inning, but Pratt escaped a bases-loaded jam by forcing a groundout to Holly Blaska at first base to maintain a 3-1 lead.
• Miami responded with a run in the bottom of the sixth to make it 4-1. After Lily Wilmot reached on an error and Kobayashi singled to left, Coyne drove in Wilmot with a sacrifice fly.

 
MIAMI GAME NOTES

• Spaid's home run was her 25th of the year, good for the second-highest individual total in the nation. The sophomore extended her team record with her 42nd career homer.
• Coyne hit her eighth home run of the season and drove in a season-high three runs.
• Miami continues to rank among the top five teams in the country in home runs per game (1.94).
• Kobayashi went 2-for-3 with a double, a single, a stolen base and a run scored.
• Pratt allowed six hits and one unearned run in seven innings, improving her record to 16-4 on the year.

 
UP NEXT:
The RedHawks advance to play third-seeded Central Michigan Friday afternoon. First pitch in Oxford is set for approximately 3:30 p.m. (30 minutes after the first game of the day concludes).