ALBANY, Ga. -- Miles pitcher Kendruena McPherson was one strike away from throwing a no-hitter in the opening game of the 2018 SIAC Softball Championships at Gordon Park Thursday afternoon. But her inability to finish the feat did little to dilute an eventual 13-4 win over Benedict, a game that was halted in the fifth inning by the eight-run mercy rule.

Every player reached base and scored for the Lady Bears (12-34) but no one had a hit for the Tigers (23-14) going into the fifth. McPherson (9-13) sandwiched a walk with two of her career-high 11 strikeouts and had run the count to 2-2 on Khayreyah Parrish before giving up a line-drive single to center field that would break up the no-no and shutout. She would then give up another hit - a three-run home run to Starkeira Daniel - before getting the final out to end the game.

Despite the no-hit theatrics, there was very little drama in this game as Miles stormed out of the gates. After McPherson pitched through a bases loaded, one out situation in the top of the first, the Lady Bears scored six times in the bottom of the frame against Benedict pitcher Taylor Roberts (13-8). McPherson led off with a triple and would score on a wild pitch. A two-run single by Alexus Gonzalez, who would then score on an error, pushed the lead to 4-0. Kendal Burrell and Jazzmyn Shelton each scored unearned runs and the Tigers were in a deep hole.

The runs, though, kept coming for Miles. Davis Watkins drove in a run in the second with a sacrifice fly. Kristie Looney and Zakierra Webb drove in a run and McPherson had a two-run single as part of a five-run third. Ombreyah Daly added a sacrifice fly RBI in the fourth for a 13-0 lead and all that was left was McPherson's shot at the no-hitter.

Miles advances in the winner's bracket and will face Albany State tomorrow at 11 a.m.