MIAMI SOFTBALL

Reeves goes distance - twice - as 'Hawks sweep Rockets

Erin Pinter snags a hot grounder. (MVSmith/MRO)

OXFORD, OH  -- It was a chilly mid-week conference game, but the Miami RedHawks (21-15, 11-0 MAC) remained hot with a double-header sweep of Toledo (8-22, 3-8 MAC) Tuesday at the Miami Softball Field.  After coming from behind for a 9-1 victory in the opener, MU prevailed 9-3 in the second meeting.     

The sweep marked nine straight wins for MU, which remained undefeated in conference play. Madi Reeves, meanwhile, recorded her eighth straight victory with complete game wins in both of Tuesday's contests. She allowed just four runs (3 earned) seven hits and two walks on the day.

"I feel like it is . . . 

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Madi Reeves Left) , gets encouragement from teammates Erin Pinter and Ella Carter (87). (MVSmith/MRO)

. . . mid-year, but I'm still fresh, I go to treatment every day and make sure I feel good.," Reeves said. 

Miami Head Coach Mandy Gardner-Colegate noted the staff has been building up Reeves' pitch count. However, the sophomore threw just 78 pitches in the two-hit opener. 

"I knew from the first game it shouldn't be too much difference for the second game, so I had a lot of confidence," Reeves said. 

Although it took a while for MU's offense to get untracked in Game One, the RedHawks finished with nine runs on nine hits. It was a similar story in the second game as MU again tallied nine runs on nine hits. Seven walks and two Rocket errors were also part of the Toledo Game Two damage report. Three of Miami's nine runs were unearned. 

Jenna Golembiewski homered in both games. (MVSmith/MRO)

Jenna Golembiewski led Miami hitters, going 3 for 8 with two homers and six RBIs on the afternoon. 

"I never step in the box thinking I am going to him a home run," said the senior. "I'm just thinking low line drives and getting the barrel (of the bat) on the ball. What ever happens, happens." 

Ella Carter homered in the first game, driving in three and adding two more on two hits in Game Two. Erin Pinter had three hits in seven at bats and recorded two RBIs. 
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Sophia Knight (4-10) took the loss in Game One. Kylee Graham recorded the Game Two loss. 

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Ella Carter connects on a home run. (MVSmith/MRO)

GAME ONE: MIAMI 9, TOLEDO 1
• Both of Toledo's hits came in the first inning. A leadoff single by Eli Enriquez started the rally. She was sacrificed to second and went to third on a single by Kendra Vanderlugt. When the latter was thrown out trying to steal second, Enriquez came home. 
• Miami managed just one hit and no runs through the first three innings. 
"We were hitting the ball hard. It was just at somebody -- and they made some great plays," Gardner-Colegate said. 
-- The dam finally burst in the fourth as MU exploded for seven runs on five hits. A costly UT error opened the door with two outs and one RedHawk on base. Hernandez reached an error and Carter followed with a home run to center field. 
After a single, walk and two passed balls, Shelby Kunkel beat out a hard shot to second base for an infield hit that put Miami up 4-1. Golembiewski then cleared the bases with her three-run shot to left field. 
"Putting the ball in play with two outs is important," Gardner-Colegate said. "Put it on the ground and make them make a play." 
• Hernandez put the Redhawks up 8-1 with an RBI double in the fifth.
• Needing just one more score for a run-rule victory, Miami finished the visitors off with Erin Pinter's two-out, RBI double off the top of the center field fence.

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Madie Patton reacts as Erin Pinter beats a throw back to home plate. (MVSmith/MRO)

GAME TWO: MIAMI 9, TOLEDO 3
• Two UT errors and a pair of walks contributed to a three-run Miami first inning. The first two scores came home on Campell's fielder's choice and an error. Pinter brought Campbell home on a single to left. 
• After a walk by Oh to open the second inning and single to right by Kunkel, Golembiewski belted her second homer of the day to put MU up 6-0. 
• Miami loaded the bases on three straight singles to start the fourth. After a fielders choice, one run came home when Hernandez was hit by a pitch. A ninth run scored on a wild pitch.
• Toledo scored two runs in the fifth when Vanderlugt blasted a homer to left. 
• MU's final run came across in the bottom of the frame when Chloe Parks doubled in Kunkel.
• The RedHawks only error of the day put a runner on with one out in the seventh. Sidney Griffith's long double to left center brought Grace O'Malley home.

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McKenna Campbell singles during the RedHawks Game One victory. (MVSmith/MRO)

NOTES:
• The RedHawks were scheduled to host Central Michigan this weekend. However, because of expected inclement weather, the series has been moved to CMU (Mount Pleasant, MI).  Saturday's double-header starts at 1 p.m. Sunday's single game begins at noon. 
The series figures to be a tough test as CMU is 6-2 in MAC play and has won seven staight games. 
• Miami catcher McKenna Campbell was named the Week 8 MAC Player of the Week. 
​Campbell led the RedHawks offensively last weekend by a significant margin. On the weekend she went 8-for-10, racking up three doubles, a homer, and four singles. The numbers speak for themselves, with a .800 batting average and 2.200 OPS, Campbell led the 'Hawks in both of these categories along with hits (8), doubles (3), and total bases (14). The sophomore was also strong defensively with 18 putouts and four assists from behind the plate. Against Western Michigan on Sunday, in her 50th game as a RedHawk, she went a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate.

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