OXFORD — The Miami University softball team had an offensive explosion on Tuesday, April 5, in a doubleheader sweep of Bowling Green. The RedHawks took a 7-3 victory in the opener. Miami then scored a season-high 17 runs in a 17-3 win in the nightcap. That game ended after five innings due to the run-rule. The RedHawks improve to 22-13 overall and 7-1 in the Mid-American Conference. The Falcons fall to 14-23 overall and 2-6 in the MAC.
Sophomore catcher Rylee Whispel had a career day on Tuesday. She went 4-for-7 with two home runs, seven RBIs and two runs scored. That included her first career grand slam in the nightcap.
Miami broke the opener open when it scored five runs in the bottom of the third. With one out, junior outfielder Jenna Jones doubled down the left field line. Freshman shortstop Michaela Schlattman followed with a double of her own, scoring Jones. Junior second baseman Eryn McCarver reached base on an error. Freshman first baseman Johniann Wahl cleared the bases with her fifth home run of the year, making it 4-0. Senior outfielder Hailey Reed made it back-to-back home runs, hitting a solo shot over the centerfield wall to give the RedHawks a 5-0 advantage.
Sophomore third baseman Kat Lee led off the bottom of the fourth with a single to leftfield. Whispel scored her with a double to deep right field. In the bottom of the fifth, Whispel singled home freshman outfielder Anna Geary to make it 7-0 and complete Miami’s scoring.
Senior Amber Logemann pitched the first five innings for the `Hawks, shutting out the Falcons to earn her 14th victory of the season. She allowed only four hits while striking out five.
Junior Kelsey Fredericks came in to pitch the final two innings. Bowling Green was able to score three runs off her in the sixth, but Fredericks set the Falcons down in order in the top of the seventh to finish off the 7-3 win.
Whispel finished the opener 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Wahl was 1-for-3 with three RBIs and one run scored. The Red and White set a new season-high with eight runs in the bottom of the first of the nightcap.
Senior outfielder Taylor Shuey led off with a single to shortstop. McCarver drew a walk. A single up the middle by Wahl scored Shuey and put Miami on the board. A double by junior catcher Lauren Anderson scored McCarver and moved Wahl to third. After an out was recorded, Lee reached on an error to load the bases. Freshman second baseman Hannah Girlie drew a walk to force home Wahl and make it 3-0. After the Falcons made a pitching change, Whispel hit a line shot that cleared the leftfield wall for a grand slam that gave the RedHawks a 7-0 advantage. Jones kept the inning going with a walk and a steal. Shuey then doubled her home to make it 8-0 at the end of the first inning.
The Falcons scored two runs in the top of the third to pull within six, but Miami answered right back with five runs in the bottom of the frame. With one out, Whispel hit her second home run of the game to make it 9-2. The RedHawks then loaded the bases with no one out. A single by Wahl scored Jones. Anderson drew a walk to force home Shuey. A fielder’s choice groundout scored McCarver and made it 12-2. After Lee singled to leftfield to reload the bases, Girlie was hit by a pitch to force home Anderson and give Miami a 13-2 lead.
The `Hawks completed their scoring with four more in the bottom of the fourth. Sophomore outfielder Alyssa Hedric led off with a double to left center. Shuey then doubled to right center to score her. Freshman Shannon Hohman pinch-hit and singled to left center to move Shuey to third. A double to center field by Wahl scored both Shuey and Hohman and made it 16-2. Later in the inning, Girlie singled up the middle to score sophomore Kaitlyn Gliha and give Miami a 17-2 advantage.
Bowling Green scored one in the top of the fifth to make the final margin 17-3, but the game came to an end due to the run rule.
Whispel finished the nightcap 2-for-4 with a career-high five RBIs and two run scored. Wahl was 3-for-4 with four RBIs and one run scored. Like Whispel, she finished with seven RBIs for the doubleheader. Shuey was 4-for-4 with two RBIs and three runs scored.
Junior pitcher Carly Mortensen got the victory for the RedHawks. She went 4.0 innings, allowing two runs on three hits while striking out four.
Miami returns to action this weekend with a three-game set at Western Michigan. The teams will play a single game on Friday at 3 p.m. They will then play a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m.
