The Miami University softball team extended its winning streak to four games during the Michelle Smith Spring Break Tournament by defeating the University of Maine 11-5, Seton Hall 7-2 and the University of Connecticut 4-1. However, the RedHawks (9-12) then suffered 0-3 and 2-4 setbacks to Boston University and St. Joseph's University, respectively.
"Overall, we played well this weekend," head coach Clarisa Crowell said. "We hit and pitched well, and played great defensively, especially in the first three games. [Senior] Paige Myers pitched well against UConn, having a no-hitter through six innings and [junior] Megan Mattera came in with one out in the sixth and played clutch. Against Boston, we didn't string hits together and we could've hit better against St. Joe's. We just need to work on consistently playing well."
In the first game of the tournament, Maine opened up the scoring with three unearned runs in the first inning before Miami put up a four-run third inning with senior second baseman Kristy Arbour, senior catcher Kayla Ledbetter, senior first baseman Allie Larrabee and junior outfielder Bree Lipscomb recording RBIs.
The Black Bears knotted things up in the following inning, but the 'Hawks scored three runs in the fifth and never looked back as they won 11-5.
Larrabee, Ledbetter and Lipscomb represented a decent chunk of the offense on the day as they combined for eight RBIs.
The RedHawks struck quickly in their matchup against Seton Hall as they took a 1-0 lead in the first off a RBI by sophomore pitcher/first baseman Jenna Modic.
The lead was extended in the second after Arbour drove in a run and sophomore outfielder Taylor Shuey stole home, but the Pirates kept themselves in the game by getting runs in the second and fifth to make the score 3-2. It was all RedHawks from that point on as they tacked on four more runs in the final two innings. Sophomore pitcher Amber Logemann was dealing as she pitched a complete game with seven hits and six strikeouts.
The 'Hawks drew first blood in their game against Connecticut, as Shuey scored on a wild pitch in the third and Arbour hit a two-RBI double in the following inning. The Huskies did not do much offensively on the day as Myers went 6 2-3 innings, allowing one run off four hits and throwing three strikeouts.
The next game remained a scoreless affair until Boston picked up three runs in the fourth. Miami could not find a way to get its offense going despite having an opportunity in the seventh with runners at first and second with nobody out.
Logemann put in solid work on the mound as she gave up one earned run and struck out three batters before Modic came in relief after the fourth inning and pitched two innings of no-hit softball.
The Red and White fell behind early in the last game of the tournament as St. Joe's picked up two runs in the second. After getting a run in the bottom of the inning off a solo homer by Lipscomb, the ''Hawks failed to recover from an additional two runs by the Hawks of St. Joe's in the third.
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"It was a great weekend for us," Lipscomb said. "We did some great things out there. What we learned from this weekend is that when we hit well, pitch well, and play defense well, we can beat anybody."
The RedHawks play again Thursday when they host a doubleheader with Wright State University in Oxford starting at 5 p.m.
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