MIAMI SOFTBALL

Golembiewski drives in nine as Miami sweeps Broncos

Jenna Golembiewski had three hits, including two homers, in the second game. (MVSmith/MRO).

OXFORD, OH  -- Hitters like the wind blowing out. Pitchers?? Not so much. As for Miami RedHawks softball Head Coach Kirin Kumar, she's not a fan of an out-flowing wind. 

That, Kumar explained, is because she feels her own team will hit the long ball regardless. A hitter-friendly wind, therefore, would primarily help opponents. Saturday's brisk winds were headed to straight-away center field. 

Miami, which leads the nation in home runs (58) and home runs per game (2.76), clubbed 10 more Saturday while registering two run-rule wins against Western Michigan. Miami pitchers Addy Jarvis and Ashley Hitchcock allowed just one hit as MU battered the Broncos 16-2 in the first game. While MU allowed seven hits (and two homers) in the second game, the RedHawks dropped WMU 12-4 in five innings. 

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Karli Spaid secures a pop out. (MVSmith/MRO)

​. . . two homers on the day - both in the second game when WMU banged out seven hits. However, they stranded six runners. Miami had 10 hits (with 5 homers) and did not strand a runner.

GAME ONE: 
- Miami got on the scoreboard first with three runs. Jenna Golembiewski hit a two-run shot and Karli Spaid had a solo shot to right.
-- Western Michigan used a single, two wild pitches and a throwing error to score two runs. However, Miami came back with seven in the bottom half. Golembiewski's second home of the game provided three runs. Holly Blaska doubled in Spaid. Chloe Parks finished off the rally with a three run homer to right field.
-- Already up 10-2, MU exploded for another six runs in the third frame. Spaid's second homer of the contest plated the first run. Kate Kobayashi doubled in Blaska and Parks brought Kobayashi around. Hadley Parisien's sacrifice fly scored Parks, and Allie Cummins singled in the game's final two runs. Neither team scored after that. 
-- Addy Jarvis (7-1) got the win, while Kailey O'Connor (2-3) took the loss. 
-- Spaid and Blaska recorded three hits apiece for MU. Golembiewski totaled five RBIs. Kelly Patyon had the Broncos only hit.

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Ashley Hitchcock made relief appearances in both games (MVSmith/MRO)

GAME TWO: 
-- Western Michigan broke out on top, taking advantage of a leadoff walk and Miami error to score two unearned runs before getting a hit. 
-- Miami struck back with six runs of five hits  in the bottom half. Sami Bewick's grand slam blast to right field finished the rally.

-- WMU's Taylor Garey led off the second frame with a home run to center, making it a 6-3 game. 
-- MU belted three home runs in its half of the inning. Golembiewski and Spaid hit back-to-back shots and Kobayashi added another one out later to give the hosts a 9-3 lead. 
-- Western Michigan appeared to be on the verge of a big inning when it loaded the bases with nobody out. However, Jarvis closed the door by inducing a foul out and striking out a batter before getting an inning-ending force out.
-- Miami's final three runs came on Golembiewski's second homer of the contest. The outfield finished with three hits and four RBI's.
-- With MU leading 12-3, Megan Welsh greeted reliever Ashley Hitchcock with a home run to left center. That made the score 12-4. However, Hitchcock retired the next three batters to seal the five-inning run-rule verdict. 
-- Jarvis (8-1) got the win, allowing three runs (one earned) in six innings. Casey Fazzini (0-1) took the loss. 

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Maddi Banksi makes a diving catch in Miami's 16-2 Game One win over Western Michigan Saturday. (MVSmith/MRO)

Kate Kobayashi dodges an inside pitch (at left), only to follow up with a home run (right). Her shot followed a Karli Spaid home run. Their back-to-back blasts expanded Miami's Game Two lead to 9-3 after two innings. The RedHawks went on to win 12-4. (MVSmith/MRO)