MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – On Saturday afternoon, the No. 24 Miami University softball team put on a hitting clinic in game one, shutting out Central Michigan University 16-0 in five innings.
Karli Spaid became the sole owner of the number three spot on the NCAA's all-time career home run list with 93, which she bumped up to 94 in the second game. In game two, the RedHawks defeated the Chippewas 15-6. This brings Miami to 36-6 on the season and 18-0 in the Mid-American Conference, extending the longest win streak in MAC history to 23 games. Central Michigan drops to 12-26 (9-7 MAC).
HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME 1):
- In the top of the first, the RedHawks took an early 3-0 lead after a Spaid two-run homer to left, followed by a solo shot from Holly Blaska.
- A three-run homer from Sami Bewick in that same inning also scored Reagan Bartholomew and Jenna Golembiewski and doubled the RedHawks' lead to 6-0.
- Hadley Parisien followed that up with a solo homer to push the lead to 7-0 and give Miami two sets of back-to-back dingers in the inning.
- In the top of the second, Blaska smashed another homer. In that same inning, Golembiewski scored on a throwing error to push the Miami lead to 9-0.
- A three-run homer from Parisien in the top of the fourth scored Bartholomew and Maddi Banks to extend the RedHawk lead to 12-0.
- A double from Spaid in that same inning scored Cummins and upped the lead to 13-0.
- Still in the fourth, Blaska hit her third homer of the game, also scoring Kobayashi and Spaid to widen the deficit to 16-0.
- The RedHawks held this lead through the end of the game to take the game in five innings.
NOTES:
- Spaid's homer in the first inning increased her career home runs to 93, ranking her third historically in NCAA career home runs.
- Blaska hit three homers in the game, going 3-for-4.
- Parisien hit two homers, going 3-for-3 at the plate.
- Just under half of the RedHawks' hits were homers (7-of-16). Nine of 16 hits were for extra bases.
- Madilyn Reeves got the win in the circle, going four innings, striking out four, and allowing just one hit.
- Ashley Hitchcock closed out the game on the bump, going the final inning and retiring three batters in a row to end the game.
HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME 2):
- The Chippewas put up three runs in the second inning to take a 3-0 lead, extending it to 5-0 in the bottom of the third on a triple and an error.
- A RBI single from Golembiewski in the top of the fourth put the RedHawks on the board when Cummins crossed the plate, cutting the deficit to 5-1.
- Kobayashi scored on a throwing error in that same inning to make it a 5-2 game.
- Still in the fourth, Chloe Parks hit a two-run single that scored Golembiewski and Spaid to narrow the margin to 5-4.
- Bewick ripped a three-run homer, scoring Parks and Bartholomew, to take a 7-5 lead for the RedHawks.
- In the top of the fourth, Spaid hit a solo homer to push the lead to 8-5.
- Bewick and Cummins homered in the top of the sixth. Parks also scored on Bewick's homer, bringing the score to 11-5.
- A pair of singles from Parisien and Kobayashi and a sac groundout from Cummins in the top of the seventh scored Kari Krueger, Parisien, and Bewick to make it a 14-5 score.
- Still in the seventh, Spaid singled up the middle to score Kobayashi and push the lead to 15-5.
- CMU added one run in the bottom of the seventh, but Miami closed out a 15-6 victory.
NOTES:
- The RedHawks hit seven extra-base hits, four of which were homers, to total 11 homers on the day.
- Bewick hit two homers and went 2-for-3 at the plate. She also matched her career high with five RBI.
- Cummins, Spaid, and Parks each had two RBI.
- Six different RedHawks had two hits.
- Spaid went 2-for-3 at the plate and hit her 94th career home run.
- Addy Jarvis went six innings in the circle, got the win, struck out six, and allowed just four hits.
- Hitchcock closed the game out on the mound, going one inning, striking out one, and allowing just one hit.
UP NEXT: The RedHawks' series against the Chippewas concludes Sunday in Mount Pleasant, Mich. at 12 p.m.
