SUNNYVALE, Calif. -- Miami University's softball did not begin its 10-day
west coast trip the way it would have liked losing its first two games of
the National Invitational Softball Tournament. When the day came to an end,
the RedHawks pulled together to win its first game of the tournament.
Miami defeated host school San Jose State in a night-cap 2-1. Pitcher Abby
Arnold bounced back from an earlier loss during the day to throw a complete
game for the RedHawks. Arnold brought a no-hitter into the sixth inning
before it was ended, but she still struck out 10 batters during the evening.
Centerfielder Keri Brisnehan knocked in the game-winning runs in the fifth
inning when she wrapped a base hit down left field to score Mary Neal and
Erin Kucera.
The Spartans made a late run the seventh inning, but Arnold struck out the
final batter to win her second game of the season.
The Red and White started the day off by playing Long Beach State, who
plays out of the Big West Conference. Miami was not able to figure
out 49ers pitcher Kelly Nasawi, who threw a complete-game three-hit shutout
to help Long Beach State defeat Miami 3-0.
RedHawk pitcher threw a solid game squandering only three runs over eight
hits. Brisnehan, leftfielder Jackie Molinaro and third baseman Kristina
Mortaloni delivered the three hits for Miami in the contest.
Long Beach State third baseman Christina Zepeda and designated hitter Erin
Tucker led the team with two hits each, and Tucker also added an RBI.
The RedHawks met their match in their second game of the day against No. 25
Oregon. Miami jumped ahead early 2-1 on the Ducks, but Oregon scored seven
unanswered runs to go on to win 8-2.
Miami is back in action at 10 a.m. pacific time against the loser of
Southern Illinois and the University of California at Santa Barbara.