Miami softball crushes Bowling Green to win MAC championship

RedHawks’ pitcher Pratt named tournament MVP.

The Miami RedHawks softball team celebrated its third straightMid-American Tournament championship on Saturday afternoon.

The RedHawks (39-15-1) toppled Bowling Green 11-0 in five innings to secure an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.

RedHawk senior, Brianna Pratt set the tone in the circle, allowing only one hit in 4 2/3 innings. This was Pratt’s third outing in three days. She pitched 19 2/3 innings in the tournament.

The RedHawks got the bats out early and often, tallying 11 runs on 10 hits. Four RedHawk players accounted for six home runs in the championship game.

Three of Miami’s home runs came in the second inning, which led to a six-run frame.

“Our bats finally came together today and hopefully we can just keep them for the NCAA Tournament,” said infielder Karli Spaid after going 3-for-3 with a pair of home runs on Saturday.

Spaid set a single-season MAC record with her 27th home run.

Riley Coyne also hit two homers for MIami, which had four players — Pratt, Spaid, Coyne and Holly Blaska -- named to the all-tournament team. Pratt was named the tourney’s MVP, pitching all but one out in the RedHawks’ tournament run.

“One of the things as a coach is to wait to see their faces when their name was called,” said Miami Head Coach Kirin Kumar, after the win over Bowling Green. “To see it two years in a row, that’s awesome.”

This is the seventh MAC Tournament title for Miami, which had the top seed in the MAC Tournament thanks to 21-5 conference record this season.

Their title comes as no shock. The RedHawks were favored to win the tournament in the conference’s preseason poll.

The NCAA announced the tournament field Sunday night.

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