MIAMI SOFTBALL

RedHawks blast Norse but drop Spartan rematch

Shelby Kunkel advances to third (MVSmith/MRO)

By MIKE SMITH
OXFORD, OH -- The fifth inning proved decisive -- twice -- Saturday as Miami split two games in action at the Miami Softball Field. 
The RedHawks broke a 4-4 tie with seven runs in the bottom of the fifth to eventually defeat Northern Kentucky (7-10) 13-4 in the first game. A couple hours later, Michigan State struck for seven fifth inning runs in a 9-7 win over MU. 

The RedHawks close . . . 

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 . . . their weekend Sunday with a 2:30 p.m. matchup against Northern Kentucky. They will play again Tuesday when MU hosts Stonehill College. 
Kent State hosts Miami for a three-game series next weekend as MAC play begins.

Chloe Parks throws to first for an out in Game One. (MVSmith/MRO)

GAME ONE
• Madilyn Reeves (4-6) picked up the win for Miami in Game One. It was the 25th win of her RedHawk pitching career. She went five innings, allowing 6 hits and 4 earned runs while striking out three, walking four and hitting one batter. Shelbie Krieger struck out two in a perfect sixth inning. 
• Four RedHawks blasted home runs. Jenna Golembiewski's grand slam highlighted the seventh and Erin Prnter hit a walk-off two-run shot in the sixth. Chloe Parks and Holly Merrit also homered.
• Shelby Kunkel went 3 for 3 and Parks recorded two hits. 
• Miami got on the board with a single run in the second and added three more in the third. 
• The Norse rallied to tie the contest with four runs in the top of the fifth, but MU responded with seven on its turn. Miami used four hits (two home runs) and four walks to surge back in front. 
• The run rule knockout came one inning later on Pinter's two-run shot. 
• Kyndall Ford (0-3) took the loss for NKU. 

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GAME TWO
• Miami defeated Michigan State 8-0 Friday and got out to a 2-0 first inning lead in Saturday's rematch. Parks provided both runs with a double to center field. 
• RedHawks freshman pitcher Shelbie Krieger (L 0-3) worked her way out of Spartan threats in the first two innings. However, a leadoff double and two walks among the first four batters of Inning No. three set the stage for two MSU runs.
• With the game tied at 2-2, Miami moved back in front with two runs in the bottom half. Golembiewski's two-out walk started the rally. She advanced on a passed ball and scored on Park's bouncer through the left side. After another walk, Madie Patton roped a double to left center. Parks scored before Holly Merritt was thrown out at home. 

McKenna Campbell's home run gave Miami a 5-2 lead before Michigan State exploded for a seven-run fifth inning. (MVSmith/MRO)

• McKenna Campbell's solo home run in the fourth inning put the hosts up 5-2, but Michigan State exploded for seven runs in the fifth inning. The first batter was hit by a pitch and moved up after a walk. A single to left loaded the bases. 
Macy Lee's double drove in two runs. 
Reeves came in to pitch, but the Spartans were far from done. A single, two wild pitches, another walk and error led to two more runs before Kendall Smiley tripled in a final run.
• Down 9-5, Miami got two back in the sixth, but missed out on chances for more. 
A single and two walks loaded the bases with no outs. 
MSU replaced Faith Guidry (W 1-3) with Jacey Schuler, who would strike out four while allowing one hit over the final two innings. 

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Miami's two runs came on a bases loaded walk and an error. Shuler, however, won a seven-pitch  battle with Golembiewski, striking out the slugger with the bases loaded to end the inning. 
• Neither team scored in the seventh. 

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