Recap courtesy of Miami Athletic Communications
Miami 4, North Carolina 3 | Box Score
Ohio State 11, Miami 1 | Box Score
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Miami University softball team defeated North Carolina 4-3 to begin play on Saturday and dropped an 11-1 decision to Ohio State in an elimination game. Miami ends the season 36-26 overall, which includes a win in the NCAA Tournament for the fourth straight year.
GAME 1
Miami threatened in the first as Kaylee Oh and Mckenna Campbell were in scoring position, but a ground out ended the opening inning.
After Madilyn Reeves retired the side in order in the bottom half of the inning, Jenna Golembiewski recorded her 20th home run of the season to put the RedHawks up 1-0 in the second. Moments later, Erin Pinter singled to right field and Danitza Hernandez doubled off the right-center wall to put runners at second and third for the second consecutive inning. Shelby Kunkel then doubled down the left field line to bring around a pair of RedHawks. Oh's second hit of the game brought home Kunkel for an early 4-0 Miami advantage.
North Carolina added a run in the bottom of the third to make it 4-1, but a key strikeout from Reeves stranded a pair of runners to close the inning. UNC added another run in the fourth to close the gap, 4-2.
The Tar Heels opened the sixth inning with a solo home run to make it 4-3. After a pair of outs, UNC added a base runner with a single to left. The ensuing batter hit a liner to left-center, but a diving grab from Golembiewski ended the inning.
Reeves retired UNC in order in the seventh to preserve the victory.
Kaylee Oh had a team-high two hits. Madilyn Reeves threw 101 pitches for the complete game victory, striking out six Tar Heels
GAME 2
Ohio State recorded a three-run homer in the top of the first for an early 3-0 lead. The Buckeyes added a solo shot in the third.
Kaylee Oh recorded an infield single in the fourth and Chloe Parks brought her around to score to trim the deficit, 4-1.
OSU plated five more runs in the fourth inning to make it 9-1.
In their final career game, Chloe Parks, Shelby Kunkel and Jenna Golembiewski all recorded hits versus the Buckeyes
