Softball team punishes Austin Peay

By Jordan Rinard, Senior Staff Writer

The Miami University softball team is on a roll to start the season as it won four out of its last five games after downing Austin Peay University 13-2 and 9-0 in five innings. The RedHawks (5-2) made amends against the Governors (1-6), after the two squads split games against last season.

"I'm happy for our girls," head coach Clarisa Crowell said. "We had to adjust to moving the games from Saturday, having two days to prepare and coming in late last night. We came out ready to play and we put together 12 great innings. We had a lot of production from our 7-8-9 hitters and it's good to see that from the bottom of the order. The offense took a lot of pressure off of our pitchers. Remy was able to throw well and we played great defense."

Miami drew first blood in the first game of the double header in the first inning with an RBI single from junior right fielder Taylor Shuey and a RBI from junior infielder Hailey Reed. The RedHawks took a 5-0 lead in the second after a home run from senior pitcher/utility player Remy Edwards and a RBI triple from Shuey. They added two more in the following inning with senior left fielder Bree Lipscomb delivering a two-RBI double.

Austin Peay stopped the bleeding momentarily with a run in the bottom of the fourth, but the Red and White responded the next inning with a solo shot from senior shortstop Kylie McChesney. In the fifth, the Governors hit a homer, and the road team struck back in the seventh with a two-run shot from senior catcher Shanyn McIntyre and a RBI double from Reed.

Offense was not a problem as Lipscomb, McChesney and Shuey each recorded three hits in the game and McIntyre, Reed, and senior center fielder Tiyona Marshall each tallied two. Junior pitcher Amber Logemann picked up her third win of the season, registering 13 strikeouts in six innings of work.

The bats for the 'Hawks didn't cool down in the second game, as they got seven runs in the first off RBI doubles from Shuey and Lipscomb and a grand slam from sophomore utility player Jenna Jones. A pair of passed balls in the second pushed the lead to eight and Miami scored off an error in the fifth, which resulted in a called game after APU failed to score in the bottom of the inning.

"We've shown what we're capable of," Crowell said. "Games like these are huge for your confidence. Our hitters were loose in the box and were taking good swings at good pitches. We did a good job of putting everything together today. In the time that I've been here, these are the most convincing wins that we have had."

Marshall, freshman infielder Kaitlyn Gliha, and freshman infielder Kat Lee had multiple hits in the game. Edwards was dealing as she had a no-hitter with nine strikeouts and four walks.

"It was something else," Edwards said of the second game. "It was cold but the players and coaches were able to get through it. We wanted to pick up two games, and we had a sound defense and our offense was really alive. Jenna getting that grand slam was a huge confidence boost for us."

The RedHawks return to Tennessee next weekend as they take on Bradley University and Loyola University (Chicago) for the second time this season starting at 10 a.m. Saturday. The 'Hawks also face St. Bonaventure College and Tennessee State University beginning 10:30 a.m. Sunday.