OXFORD, Ohio – On Friday evening, the Miami University softball team won its home opener 8-0 in five innings to shut out Michigan State University. The RedHawks improve to 6-13 on the season and the Spartans drop to 4-9.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The first two innings were quiet, with each team tallying a hit, but no runs.
• In the bottom of the third, Shelby Kunkel drove a RBI double to center, allowing Mckenna Campbell and Kari Krueger to score. An error allowed Kunkel to move to third and Kaylee Oh to cross home, putting the RedHawks ahead 3-0.
• A double steal in that same inning, where Chloe Parks took second base and Shelby Kunkel took home, pushed the lead to 4-0.
• Holly Merritt made a stellar double play at first in the top of the fourth, snagging a line drive before turning around to tag the runner herself, ending the half inning.
• In the bottom of the fifth, Kunkel hit a line drive to center so that Oh crossed home to up the lead to 5-0.
• Jenna Golembiewski followed that up with a two-run home run over the left field wall that also scored Kunkel and extended the lead further to 7-0.
• Still in the fifth, a fielder's choice from Danitza Hernandez allowed Parks to cross home and end the game at 8-0.

 
NOTES:

• Kunkel and Golembiewski went 2-for-3 at the plate. Campbell and Krueger went 1-for-2.
• Oh, Kunkel, and Golembiewski had extra-base hits.
• Kunkel, Golembiewski, and Campbell had RBI.
• Madilyn Reeves pitched the complete game, giving up just two free passes, allowing just two hits, and striking out three.

UP NEXT: The RedHawks face Northern Kentucky University Saturday, March 8 at 1:30 p.m. in Oxford, Ohio.