EVANSTON, Ill. – The Miami University softball team advanced to the NCAA Regional Finals with a pair of wins on Saturday. Brianna Pratt pitched the 4-0 shutout versus Eastern Illinois University. This moved the RedHawks on to the second elimination game of the day where they knocked off the University of Kentucky 9-0 in five innings. Pratt also secured the win in the second game. The RedHawks move to 39-19 on the season.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME 1):

• Holly Blaska got the scoring started for the RedHawks in the bottom of the first inning when she blasted one over the center field wall to take a 1-0 lead for Miami.
• In the top of the fourth, Maddi Banks took flight in left field, making a diving catch to end the inning and keep a run from scoring.
• Banks kept it going in the bottom of the fourth, hitting a deep RBI triple that scored Kate Kobayashi and doubled Miami's lead 2-0.
• Allie Cummins followed that up with an RBI single to score Banks and up the lead to 3-0.
• Later in that inning Karli Spaid hit a sac fly to score Cummins and put the score at 4-0.
• The RedHawks held their lead through the conclusion of the game and shut out the Panthers 4-0.

 
NOTES:

• Blaska and Banks went 2-for-3 at the plate.
• Eight different RedHawks had hits in the game.
• Pratt secured eight strikeouts and allowed only eight hits.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME 2):

• Chloe Parks showed off her hops in the top of the first, catching a line drive over her head at second, before tossing the ball over to Blaska to secure the double play that would end the inning and stop a run from scoring.
• Blaska started the scoring for the RedHawks in this game as well, taking another deep over center to make it 1-0.
• Parks doubled the RedHawks' lead 2-0 in the bottom of the second when she hit an RBI double that scored Kobayashi.
• Blaska put four more runs up for the RedHawks when she drove a third ball over the fence today. The grand slam put the RedHawks on top 6-0.
• Banks doubled in the bottom of the fourth and recorded an RBI when Parks scored to make it a 7-0 game.
• Parks ended the ball game in the bottom of the fifth when she hit a two-run homer over left field to run-rule the Wildcats 9-0.

 
NOTES:

• Blaska went 2-for-2 and Parks went 2-for-3 at the plate.
• Pratt had two strikeouts and allowed only 3 hits.
• Five RedHawks had hits, three had RBI.
• This will be Miami's first time moving onto a Regional Final in school history.

UP NEXT: The RedHawks face Northwestern University in the Regional Final tomorrow at 4 p.m. and possibly a second game should the RedHawks win game one versus the Wildcats.