MIAMI SOFTBALL

Softball opens home slate with win over Spartans

By MIKE SMITH
OXFORD, OH -- The weather may have been less than ideal, but the results were spectacular. 
Miami softball aced its home opener on a chilly and cloudy Friday afternoon, knocking off Michigan State 8-0 in five innings in the Miami Tournament. Madilyn Reeves (3-6) went the distance for MU in the circle, surrendering just two hits and two walks while striking out three. 

With the victory, Miami is now 6-13. Michigan State fell to 4-9. 

Shelby Kunkel and Jenna Golembiewski . . . 

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. . . led Miami's seven-hit attack. Both went 2 for 3 with an extra base hit. Kunkel doubled and Golembiewski stroked her seventh homer of the campaign. 

After two scoreless frames, MU broke through with four runs in the bottom of the third. Miami loaded the bases on two singles and a Spartan error. Kunkel doubled in in two runs, while another MSU error allowed Kaylee Oh to score. One out later, Chloe Parks was hit by a pitch. When she stole second, Kunkel came home for a fourth Miami run. 

Neither team scored in the fourth, but the RedHawks delivered a knockout blow in the fifth with four more runs. Kunkel provided the first score with an rbi single. Golembiewski's homer added two more. Back-to-back Spartan errors and a passed ball set up the final run, with Parks scoring the game ending eighth run on a ground out. 

Michigan State committed a total of four errors on the day, contributing to three unearned runs. Jacey Schuler (4-3) took the loss for MSU.

Miami returns to action Saturday. The RedHawks face Northern Kentucky at 1:30 p.m. and  battle Michigan State in a 4 p.m. rematch. 

MU finishes the weekend action Sunday with a 2:30 p.m. contest against Northern Kentucky.