MIAMI SOFTBALL

Saturday split ensures MU tourney berth

By MIKE SMITH
MOUNT PLEASANT, MI -- Presley Hosick's complete game performance led Miami to an 8-1 Game One victory Saturday at Margo Jonker Stadium, ensuring a spot for MU in the upcoming Mid-American Conference Tournament. Central Michigan held off a late RedHawk rally to take Game Two 7-6. 
With the split, Miami moves to 34-15 (15-8 MAC). The Chippewas are now 23-19 overall, (14-8 MAC). 

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GAME ONE
•  Ella Carter's two-out, bases-loaded single scored two, allowing MU to grab a 2-0 lead after one-at bat. 
•  The RedHawks added three more in the top of the third. McKenna Campbell's double drove in the first run. She then came home on a Katy Olive's single through the left side. A Carter double brought Olive home, and MU led 5-0. 
•  Central Michigan recorded its only run in the bottom of the third. There were already two out when three straight singles brought one home. 
•  Bailey Manos' rbi single plated one RedHawk run in the fourth and visitors added two more in the final inning. Carter drove in both runs, giving her five rbi's while going 3-for-4. 
•  Miami's offense totaled eight runs on 10 hits with two walks and five Ks. 
Langan Mackenzie (L, 7-10) took the loss for CMU 
•  Hosick (W, 16-4) allowed one run on six hits. She did not walk a batter and struck out four Chippewas. 

GAME TWO
•  Unlike the first game, it was the CMU drawing first blood. The Chippewas struck for three runs on five hits against Hosick, who lasted just one inning after going seven in the first game. 
•  Miami got one run back in the top of the second. Evey Dieudonne's double ro right center scored Erin Pinter. 
•  Angela Ricciardi took over in the circle for Miami in the second. However, two walks and a single quickly loaded the bases. A single and ground out resulted in two more runs and a 5-1 Chippewas advantage after two innings. 
•  Miami added another run in the third. Mia Estrello opened with a single and moved around to third on a Campbell single. Estrello came home on a fly out to center. 
•  The Chippewas restored their four run edge in the fourth. London Williams set the score up with a one-out triple when a sinking fly ball got past a diving RedHawk defender in right field. Grace Koenig followed with a bouncing rbi single up the middle.
•  MU cut its deficit in half in the fifth inning. Campbell's single to right drove in one run. Olive's sacrifice fly brought in another to make it a 6-4 game. 
After a single by Carter, CMU replaced starter Brooklyn Compau (W,10-5) with lefty  Cierra Laska. Her four-pitch strikeout of the next batter prevented further damage, with Miami leaving two on base. 
•  Both teams combined to strand 17 runners on the day -- Miami 7, CMU 10. 
•  Central Michigan's decisive seventh run came in the bottom of the sixth. Two walks and single loaded the bases with one out. MU got another out on a force at home, but Rachel Cairo drew a walk to force in Koenig. 
•  Now trailing 7-4, Miami mounted a final challenge. Estrello and Hernandez opened the seventh with singles. Both scored one out later on a Carter single to center. Pinter battled to extend the rally, but her nine-pitch at bat ended with a fly out to down the line. 
•  Miami finished with 14 hits, while CMU totaled 12 hits. 
•  Neither team committed an error and the Chippewas helped their cause with several diving catches by outfielders in the middle innings. 
•  Bompau (W, 10-5) got the win, allowing four runs on 11 hits in 4.1 innings. Laska was credited with a save. She limited MU to two runs on three hits while stgriking out two. 
•  Campbell and Estrello banged out three hits apiece to lead MU. Williams had a three-hit day for Central Michigan. 

NEXT: Miami and Central Michigan will conclude their three-game series Sunday (noon).