MIAMI SOFTBALL

RedHawks top Bulls, continue reign atop MAC

Chloe Parks settles under an infield pop-up. (MVSmith/MRO)

By MIKE SMITH
OXFORD, OH -- There were years when Miami sofball championships were built on dominance. The RedHawks 2025 title is more a case of perseverence. 
Miami (20-7 MAC, 31-23 overall) defeated Buffalo (10-17 MAC, 17-33 overall) 4-2 Sunday at the Miami Softball Field. Coupled with Ohio's 2-1 loss at Western Michigan, the results game MU its sixth straight Mid-American Conference regular season title. 
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Sunday's victory was the fifth straight win . . . 

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. . . for MU, which lost five of six MAC games in mid-April. The final three losses were to Ohio. The Bobcats, however, lost three of their last four down the stretch. That opened the door for a surging Miami team that seemed to regroup for the stretch run. 

"It's awesome... We stayed the course and just trusted the process," Miami Head Coach Mandy Gardner-Colegate said.  "We knew we were never out of it. We just kind of had to count on some other people to win some games. We did what we needed to do, and that just kind of happened. 
I'm just so proud of their grit and their belief. We poured a lot of blood, sweat and tears into this season." 

As the No. 1 seed, Miami opens MAC Tournament play Thursday (noon), meeting the winner of Wednesday's (No. 4) Ball State vs.(No. 5) Akron matchup. All games are played at Firestone Stadium in Akron. 

MAC Tournament Bracket/Schedule: CLICK HERE

Erin Pinter throws to first for the final out. (MVsmith/MRO)

Madi Reeves picked up Sunday's win, raising her season record to 21-10. She surrendered two runs on five hits while striking out seven, walking five and hitting a batter. 

Buffalo starter Marissa Calloway (1-2) took the loss, allowing three runs, three hits and a walk during one inning of work. Olivia Russ (4.0 innings) and Malena Toth (1.0 inning) combined for one run on six hits with two strikouts and no walks. 

Five of six total runs were scored in the first inning. While the Bulls threatened with leadoff runners in five of seven at-bats, Miami's defense turned in several outstanding plays to snuff out potential rallies. 

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Senior Jenna Golembiewski had two hits in her final home game. (MVSmith/MRO)

"We challenged them yesterday to be better defensively. We didn't feel like we were 100 percent ourselves and strong yesterday," Gardner-Colegate said. "We only made one error, but we kind of felt there were some mental cues (we missed). 

"Today they really showed up ... when Madi didn't necessrily have her best stuff. They were putting more balls in play, (so) we've got to rely more on our defense. She trusted them, and they were making the plays behind her.

Eight UB runners were stranded on the day, but two of the first three scored. Emily Gorman opened the contest with a single. After Reagan Terwilliger reached on a fielders choice, Abby Nagel blasted a homer to right field. 

Miami responded in the bottom half. Kaylee Oh walked with one out and Chloe Parks banged a single to left. McKenna Campbell continued her productive weekend with a double to right. That scored two, and one out later senior Jenna Golembiewski brought Campbell home on a single to put MU up 3-2. 

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Shelby Kunkel fifth inning catch was one of several key defensive plays by the RedHawks. (MVSmith/MRO)

Reeves put UB down in order in the second, but two reached on walks in the second. Parks ended the inning, however, racing from her second base position to make a diving catch of a popup behind the circle. 

Buffalo had two on with two outs in the fourth when Reeves K'd Gorman on a 3-2 pitch. 

Miami tallied the game's final run in the bottom of the frame when Ella Carter led off with a homer to left. 

The Bulls put two on with one out in the fifth, but Shelby Kunkel picked off Alyssa Wasielewski's sinking liner and Reeves struck out Avelyn Van Heyst to end the inning. 

Terwilliger singled to open the Bulls seventh. However, shortstop Danitza Hernandez picked off a liner near second and doubled the UB runner off first. Reeves finished the win with a groundout to third. 

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"We have won in a lot of ways," Gardner-Colegate said. "That's what makes this team so special. It's not one person that carries us. Everyone gets it done. It's always, I feel, like, a new person each game that gets it done and leads us to victory." 

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MORE: 
• Miami totaled nine hits. Kunkel, Parks, Carter and Golembiewski recorded two apiece. 
• There was a bit of a scary moment in the fifth when Kunkel lined a pitch off the pitching mask of Russ. After a delay, however, she stayed in the game to finish the inning. Toth entered to pitch the sixth. 
• Miami's offense had just one walk and one HBP. The RedHawks stranded five runners. 
• Buffalo's first three batters produced four of the team's five hits. Terwilliger went 2-for-3 with a walk. 
• Reeves threw 127 pitches. After throwing 163.0 innings in 2024, she tossed 217.2 through the regular season this year. Her ERA dropped from 4.03 last season to 3.31 so far this year. 

Danitza Hernandez gets congratulations from teammates after turning a seventh inning double play. (MVSmith/MRO)

• Winning the MAC with a new coaching staff and graduation loss of several key players made the 2025 title extra special. 
"I definitely can't complain," Gardner-Colegate said. (We) win 30-plus games, win a conference regular season. Now all that's left is to win the tournament and go to post-season. I'm just excited for them and my staff. We put in all the hours, and its just really nice that the hard work has paid off. :

2025 RedHawks team, staff and seniors/families