May 5, 2007
OXFORD, Ohio - Rallying from a two-run deficit in the seventh and a one-run hole in the ninth, the Miami University softball team (26-32-1; 14-7 MAC) earned a 4-3, walkoff win over the Kent State Golden Flashes (29-17; 14-3 MAC) Saturday night at Miami Softball Stadium. Winning for the 12th time in 13 games, freshman Alicia Hogl's two-out RBI single in the bottom of the ninth completed an impressive comeback that saw Miami down to its final strike in both the seventh and ninth innings. Miami also secured the No. 4 seed in the Mid-American Conference tournament with the victory.
In the midst of its best 13-game stretch since winning 12 of 13 games from March 25-April 11, 1987, Miami notched its third walkoff win of the season and second is as many days behind the clutch hitting of Hogl and senior Leslie Macedo. Macedo knotted the game with her two-out, two-RBI double in the seventh, while Hogl lifted Miami over the MAC Regular Season Champions by singling off the base of the rightfield wall with two outs in the ninth.
Following a 75-minute rain delay, Kent State took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on Jamie Fitzpatrick's two-out RBI single. Her single up the middle plated Jessica Toocheck, who had singled through the left side with one out and advanced to second on a wild pitch.
Another Kent State two-out hit extended the Golden Flashes lead to 2-0 in the top of the second. After Katie Wheeler singled with one out, she was sacrificed over to second base and then scored on Kim Hamilton's two-hopper back through the middle.
Miami threatened in the bottom of the third after a one-out walk to junior Kimberly Williams and a two-out bunt single from junior Halle Popson, but the Golden Flashes handled sophomore Ashley Gartland's bunt attempt for the third out to keep the game scoreless. The RedHawks also put a pair of runners on base in the fourth after a leadoff single from Macedo and a two-out blooper from junior Breanna Robinson, but Miami could not push across a run.
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After stranding seven runners over the first six innings, Miami finally broke through in the bottom of the seventh with a pair of runs on Macedo's two-out, two-run double. The RedHawks were the beneficiary of a Kent State error to open the inning, as Williams' ground ball snuck under the glove of second baseman Jessica Kramb. Pinch hitter Kelly Cabana followed by drawing a four-pitch walk, putting the first two runners of the inning on base.
A fielder's choice and a groundout moved both runners into scoring position with two outs, setting the stage for Macedo's game-tying hit. With a 1-2 count and down to her final strike, Macedo lifted a soft liner which landed just inside the leftfield line, plating freshman Sarah Billstrom and a speedy Popson from second. Junior Christine Bills then walked to put runners at the corners, forcing Kent State to make a pitching change, but relief pitcher Gabrielle Burns struck out the first batter she faced to send the game into extra innings.
After both teams were retired in order in the eighth, Kent State took advantage of Miami throwing error in the top of the ninth to take 3-2 lead. Following a one-out single from Corey Houk, she swiped second and advanced to third on Megan Verde's fielder's choice. With runners on the corners, Verde took off for second, and the throw to try and nab her sailed into centerfield, allowing Houk to scamper home from third.
The bottom of the ninth got underway when Billstrom was robbed of a base hit by a diving Kim Hamilton in centerfield, but Popson followed with a single to the shortstop, giving her three hits in the game. After a strikeout put Miami down to its final out, Macedo fell behind in the count 1-2 before drawing a two-out walk. Bills followed by ripping a single back through the box, which plated Popson and tied the game at 3-3. With Hogl at the plate, she also fell behind 1-2 before driving her walkoff single down the rightfield line, propelling Miami to its fifth straight win.
Freshman Meredith Linch was a workhorse in the circle, matching a career-high by throwing all nine innings. In her 17th complete game of the season which required 174 pitches, Linch struck out seven and allowed only two earned runs. It was the 13th time in 14 MAC starts that Linch has allowed two earned runs or less.
Miami had eight hits in the contest, with Popson (3-for-5) and Macedo (2-for-4) each notching multi-hit games.
Miami plays its regular-season finale tomorrow against Kent State at 1 p.m. The game will be available on GAMETRACKER and live on MSNI with "The Voice of the RedHawks" Steve Baker on the call.
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