OXFORD, Ohio – On Saturday afternoon the Miami University softball team completed the sweep over Northern Illinois University with a 7-6 win early in the day and 3-2 win in extra innings later. The RedHawks improve to 16-15 on the season (6-0 Mid-American Conference). Northern Illinois drops to 7-17 (2-4 MAC).
HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME 1):
- Madie Patton gave the RedHawks an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second with a home run over dead center. Holly Merritt also scored.
- A pair of RBI singles from the Huskies in the top of the third tied the game up at 2-2.
- Shelby Kunkel knocked a RBI single in the bottom of the third to push Danitza Hernandez across the plate and take back the lead, 3-2.
- Jenna Golembiewski followed that up with a RBI double that scored Oh and extended the lead to 4-2.
- Not done yet, Chloe Parks and Ella Carter each hit a sacrifice fly that scored Kunkel and Golembiewski respectively and upped the lead further to 6-2.
- In the top of the fourth, NIU scored a run on a RBI single to cut the deficit to 6-3.
- An infield single from Parks in the bottom of the fourth allowed Hernandez to cross home and push the lead to 7-3.
- The Huskies hit a two-RBI single in the top of the seventh to shorten the difference to 7-5.
- Another RBI single followed that up to make it a 7-6 game, but the Huskies could not come back, handing the RedHawks the 7-6 victory.
NOTES:
- Patton went 3-for-3 at the plate, just a triple shy of the cycle.
- Léa Chevrier pitched the complete game, allowing just six runs and striking out seven.
- Patton and Parks each had two RBI.
- Kunkel recorded her 50th career RBI.
- Golembiewski and Merritt each went 2-for-2 at the plate.
HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME 2):
- A solo home run from Golembiewski put the RedHawks up 1-0 in the bottom of the first. This marked her 150th career RBI.
- Patton hit a RBI single in the bottom of the second to put Carter across home plate and double the lead 2-0.
- A RBI single from the Huskies in the top of the fourth scored one and halved the lead at 2-1.
- The Huskies tied it up 2-2 in the top of the seventh with a RBI single. This score remained through the end of the inning, sending the game into extra innings.
- In the bottom of the eighth, Merritt hit a walk-off RBI single that pushed Parks across the plate to take the win 3-2.
NOTES:
- Golembiewski reached 150 career RBI with a solo shot over center.
- Parks and Merritt each went 3-for-4 at the plate.
- Eight RedHawks had hits in the game.
- Madilyn Reeves went the full game in the circle, striking out four and allowing just two runs.
UP NEXT: The RedHawks head to Kalamazoo, Mich. next weekend to face Western Michigan University for a series starting on Friday, March 28 at 3 p.m.