MIAMI SOFTBALL

Golpher slam sinks RedHawk upset bid

MINNEAPOLIS, MN -- Opponent home runs did major damage Saturday as Miami dropped a pair of softball games in Gopher Indoor Classic play at US Bank Stadium. 

Three St. Thomas long balls were part of a seven-hit attack as the Tommies defeated Miami 10- 2 in Game One. Minnesota sophomore Jessa Snipes' two homers in Game Two included a seventh inning grand slam that proved the difference in a 9-6 Gophers win. With the losses, Miami fell to 5-12 on the year. St. Thomas moved to 9-7, while Minnesota raised its record to 8-9.

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GAME ONE: St. Thomas 10, Miami 2
• Miami led early after posting a pair of first inning runs. Jenna Golembiewski singled in one, while Chloe Parks pushed another across with a ground out. 
• Two home runs and a double drove in three Tommie runs in the third.
•  Three hits, two walks, a Miami error and a sacrifice fly led to four more St. Thomas runs. 
• Jenna Kuhns's long ball drove in the game's final three runs. 
•  Le'a Chevrier (3-5) took the loss for MU, pitching 2.2 inning. She allowed two hits and three runs while striking out two and walking three. Shelbie Krieger logged 3.1 innings, surrendering five hits and seven runs (5 earned). She struck out two and walked three. 
• Ella Cook (3-5) got the win for St. Thomas.

GAME TWO: Minnesota 9, Miami 6
•  It was a pitchers duel through four innings. Miami plated the only run on Shelby Kunkel solo blast in the opening frame. 
•  The dam burst in the fifth inning when Minnesota hit three homers. The first two were solo shots. However, two walks preceded a third circuit shot to give the hosts a 5-1 advantage.
• MU responded with four runs in the sixth to tie the game at 5-5. Kunkel's second homer of the contest opened the inning. Two walks and two outs preceded Holly Merritt's two-run double. She came around to score on a Gopher error. 
• The RedHawks took the lead, 6-5, with one run in the top of the seventh. Parks' single drove in Kunkel. 
• Minnesota put together a game-winning rally in the bottom half. It started with a hit batter. A single and strikeout followed before another walk loaded the bases. Snippes cleared them all with a home run to center. 
• Madilyn Reeves (2-6) went the distance for Miami. She allowed seven hits and nine runs while striking out seven, walking seven and hitting a batter. 
•  Hosick got the win for Minnesota. 
•  Kunkel recorded three of the RedHawks six hits. Two were homers