Feb. 18, 2006
LAS CRUCES, N.M. - Despite a season-high three RBIs from senior shortstop Bianca Paz (Mesilla, N.M.), the Miami University softball team (4-3) was undone by Texas State's five-run fifth inning as it fell, 8-3, to the Bobcats at the Troy Cox Invitational. With Miami holding a one-run lead heading into the bottom of the fifth, Texas State sent 11 batters to the plate in the frame and plated five runs, handing Miami its first loss of the weekend.
After pounding out 22 runs and 25 hits in its first two games at the Troy Cox Invitational, Miami's offense managed only five hits against Texas State as Bobcat pitcher Sarah Lancour retired 13 of the final 15 batters she faced. Paz was the only Miami player with multiple hits, finishing 2-for-3 and driving in all three of Miami's runs, while freshman Ashley Gartland (Tempe, Ariz.) and sophomores Halle Popson (Solon, Ohio) and Breanna Robinson (Toledo, Ohio) each notched one hit.
Paz got Miami on the board in the top of the first with a two-out, two-RBI double to right centerfield. A pair of singles by Gartland and Popson sandwiched in between a pair of strikeouts put runners at first and second with two outs, and Paz laced a double into the gap to score both runners and put Miami up 2-0.
After being retired in order in the second, Miami increased its lead to 3-0 on an RBI single by Paz in the top of the third. With two outs, Paz ripped a line drive to leftfield that scored Gartland, who had reached on a fielding error to open the inning.
Texas State responded with a single run in the bottom of the third as a leadoff triple, an infield single and a double steal made it 3-1, and the Bobcats added an opposite field home run in the fourth to pull within one at 3-2. Miami escaped further damage in the fourth as a single, a hit batsmen and a walk loaded the bases for the Bobcats with two outs, but starting pitcher Courtney Salmon (Auburn, Wash.) struck out Jill Kloesel to strand all three runners.
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The Bobcats took a 7-3 lead in the fifth as their five-run inning was sparked by a two-base error that allowed the leadoff batter to reach base. After a sacrifice bunt, the next five batters reached safely, knocking Salmon from the game. Three singles and a double did most of the damage in the inning, but Miami also issued three free passes and hit a batter.
The RedHawks had only one batter reach base over the final four innings as Robinson's lead-off single in the seventh broke a streak of 10 Miami batters retired in order, but a double play and a strikeout ended the inning and Miami's two-game winning streak.
Salmon (2-2) took the loss, striking out five in 4.2 innings in the circle.
Miami resumes action in the Troy Cox Invitational tomorrow at 9 a.m. when it faces Utah Valley State. The RedHawks then close out the tournament with a 2 p.m. game against the host New Mexico State Aggies.
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