(Audubon, IA) — Riley Miller is one of the state’s best pitchers and she showed it on Friday night, pitching Exira EHK Audubon into the 1A Regional Finals beating Bedford 5-1.
Miller allowed just 1 Earned Run on 4 Hits, did not walk anybody and struck out 13 going over 800 for her softball career.
The Wheelers scored twice in the bottom of the first — Taryn Petersen got a leadoff walk and stole 2nd base, Anna Larsen bunted her to 3rd base and Miller brought her home with a RBI single. Maya King ran for Miller and she would score on Bryli Petersen’s RBI double.
Exira EHK Audbon got two more in the bottom of the third inning. Miller got a leadoff walk and Bryli Petersen singled. Lucy Stanerson tried to get a bunt down but with two strikes, swung away and drove it to right for a 2 run double to make it 4-0.
The Wheelers got another run in the 4th — Jordan Mulford got a leadoff single and stole 2nd base. Taryn Petersen reached on an error. Larsen bunted them over and Miller got a RBI grounder to score Mulford to make it 5-0.
Exira EHK Audubon stranded 9 runners and Bedford starter Macy Musich would scatter 8 hits, staying away from the big inning.
However, the Bulldogs could do nothing with Miller. Danica Matheny got the first hit, an infield single in the 2nd inning. Kinley Beemer reached on an infield single in the 3rd. Miller struck out the side in the 2nd and 4th innings. In the top of the 6th, Caroline Simmons got a bunt single, Beemer reached on another infield hit and Charlotte Shafar lined a single to right to score Simmonds. With her first adversity of the game, Miller got a pop out, strike out and line out to end the threat. She retired Bedford in order in the 7th to end the game.
Exira EHK Audubon will host Fremont Mills on Monday night in the Regional Finals, a berth in the state tournament on the line — coverage on KS 95.7 FM.
Exira EHK Audubon
Riley Miller 7 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 0 BB, 13 K; 2-3, walk, 2 RBI
Bryli Petersen 2-4, double, RBI, run
Jordan Mulford 1-3, run
Taryn Petersen 1-3, SB, run
Bedford
Kinley Beemer 2-3
Charlotte Shafar 1-3 RBI
Macy Musich 6 IP, 5 R, 4 ER, 8 Hits, 3 BB, 1 K
Line Score
Bedford (16-13) 1 Run, 5 Hits, 3 Errors, 5 LOB
Exira EHK/Audubon (22-4) 5 Runs, 8 Hits, 1 Error, 9 LOB
W: Miller (16-4)
L: Musich (7-11)
Time: 1:27
