A costly error in extra innings proved critical in the softball team’s 7-6 loss against Michigan State in East Lansing.

MSU’s Kelly Confer singled to bring home the tying and winning runs in the bottom of the eighth inning after CMU took a 6-5 lead heading into extra innings.

The Chippewas started the scoring at their first at-bat when Jill Schulz doubled in Katie Greenman for a 1-0 lead.

In the second inning, Kim Cozat’s double was followed by Molly Coldren’s second home run to give CMU a 3-0 lead.

“Our hitters did a nice job getting out early in the count and getting the early lead,” said coach Margo Jonker. “We made great contact for the most part with most of our hitters.”

Senior pitcher Ali Pettit came out strong with two no-hit innings until Melanie Bensema placed a single into left field in the bottom of the third.

In the top of the fourth, Amanda Patrick hit Cozat home by way of an error from center fielder Jessica Bracamonte. A double by Amanda Klosterman sent Cozat in for the Chippewas’ fifth run and put them up 5-0 at the end of four. That is where the score would remain until the bottom of the sixth.

In the sixth inning, the Spartans fought back and put five runs on the scoreboard.

Pettit was replaced by Kim Campbell, but her day was not done. Campbell only lasted five hitters and gave up two runs, which tied the game at five. Pettit then retook the mound and got Kelly Confer to fly out to center field to end the inning with two runners on base.

MSU loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh inning, but CMU forced extra innings.

CMU regained the lead in the eighth inning when Patrick singled to center, allowing Cozat to cross the plate for the third time to make it 6-5.

“We played well today. We came back when they scored their runs but they came back in the eighth,” Jonker said. “We just couldn’t hold on in the eighth inning – the pitching just couldn’t hold on.”

To start MSU’s half of the eighth inning, Lindsey Hansen hit a screaming line-drive double that caromed off Coldren’s glove and into shallow centerfield. It put runners at second and third.

“We did a great job and made great contact at the plate,” Jonker said. “We also made some excellent plays on defense. Softball is a game of inches and the inches weren’t there for us today.”

E-mail the author: Jacob Lougheed