Miles moved back over the .500 mark over all and have now won four consecutive conference games after sweeping Kentucky State this weekend at the Lady Bears Softball Complex. Using speed, timely hitting and outstanding pitching, the Lady Bears (15-13, 9-2 SIAC) won the opener, 10-2, on Saturday, then swept the doubleheader on Sunday by scores of 4-2 and 6-3. Erielle Reid and Nyia Westbrook both went 5-for-11 with two RBI and two stolen bases during the series, setting the table for a lineup that had six innings where they scored multiple runs.

GAME 1 - Miles 10, Kentucky State 2 (6)

While Miles is more of a small-ball team, it was home runs by Shalayiah Waid and DeOnia Gibby that percolated the offense in a game ended by the eight-run mercy rule. Waid hit a two-run shot as part of a three-run second inning and Gibby added a solo blast as part of two-run third that gave the Lady Bears a 5-1 advantage.

MaKenzie Stewart knocked in her second run of the game in the fourth to push the lead to 7-1. That was plenty of run support for Bailey Hayes, who allowed five hit and struck out four over six innings for the complete game victory. Kentucky State's defense helped Miles close out the victory. In the fifth, an error allowed Kiana Terry to reach base and score Skylar Jones. Terry would score on a run scoring single by Reid for a 9-2 lead. The Lady Bears would close the game out in the sixth when Waid reached on an infield single. The throw was errant - KSU's sixth error of the contest - that allowed pinch runner Kiara Cobb to score from second for the mercy-rule win.

GAME 2 - Miles 4, Kentucky State 2

Through three innings, Miles did not have a hit and trailed 2-0. But in the fourth, the Lady Bears started ti run wild on the Thorobreds. Reid beat out  a tapper in front of home plate for a single, then stole second and third base. Westbrook would drive her in on a groundout to the circle to cut the deficit in half.

In the fifth, Miles took the lead. Jada Bradford and Whitney Sellers got on base to start the frame and both came around to score, Bradford tied the game when she scored on a KSU throwing error. Sellers game the Lady Bears a 3-2 lead when she scored on a wild pitch. Miles added an insurance run in the sixth when Dixie McCarn's two-out single plated Westbrook.

Abigail Boudreaux pitched the final two innings in relief to earn the save for winning pitcher Mikaylah Harris, who gave up three hits and struck out three in five innings of work. Boudreaux got some help on the defensive side in the seventh. Tess Pelland blasted a shot to straightaway center that had home run distance but Westbrook leaped at the fence and brought the would-be home run ball back into the park for the first out of the inning.

GAME 3 - Miles 6, Kentucky State 3

The Lady Bears slapped out 11 hits and used a big third inning to take control of the contest. Down 1-0, Cobb, Westbrook and Stewart all had singles but three KSU errors allowed Miles to score four times to take the lead for good. Shakayla Terry pitched the final four innings to earn the victory, allowing just one hit and one earned run while striking out three. A RBI double by Bradford in the fifth and a run-scoring single by Reid in the sixth added insurance runs for the Lady Bears and helped complete the sweep.