Softball looks to continue win streak against struggling Detroit Mercy


The CMU softball team looks to add to its three-game winning streak today in a doubleheadeer against the University of Detroit Mercy.

The Chippewas (10-7) have won eight of their last nine games heading into Game 1 of the doubleheader at 2 p.m. at Buysse Ballpark in Detroit.

Junior Amanda Patrick said one of the keys to the winning streak has been the players’ ability to rally around each other.

“Our team chemistry is just 100 percent better (than last year),” she said. “Last year, losing got to us. This year, everyone is picking each other up.”

Sophomore Molly Coldren has led the way offensively, hitting .377 with four home runs thus far.

The past weekend, Central outscored its opponents 20-7 — it played Indiana twice and Southern Illinois-Edwardsville once — and coach Margo Jonker said team has excelled at getting timely hits.

“We have had numerous people come through in key situations,” she said. “And we have done a great job of moving runners and doing the little things.”

The Titans (2-6) have had a slow start to the season, but earned their second victory of the season Friday during a doubleheader against the University of Michigan-Dearborn. They won 9-2 before losing the second game 10-2.

Jonker said her pitchers need to continue to stay ahead of the batters in the count if they want to continue doing well.

“For pitching, we always need to get ahead in the count,” she said. “It is all about location and being relaxed so they can get the ball to move.”

Junior Kari Seddon and freshman Kara Dornbos have led the way for Central’s pitching staff, going 10-5 combined.

Seddon has struck out 51 batters this season in 10 appearances while holding batters to a .234 average.

THE OPPONENT

The Titans have their own pitching combo with freshman Anna Bondy and sophomore Kara Spinelli.

The two have not fared as well as Central’s combo, going 2-6. Bondy has allowed batters to hit .370 against her, and Spinelli has allowed a .426 batting average.

Offensively, the Titans are struggling, hitting .191 on the season. Senior Jessica Liebner is hitting a team-best .350 with one home run, and fellow senior Erica Houthoofd is hitting .333.

Besides Liebner and Houthoofd, only two other hitters are hitting better than .200.

The Chippewas have been a lot more active on the basepaths, going 30-of-35 on stolen-base attempts. Senior Christina Novak has been caught just once in 11 attempts.

Detroit-Mercy has been more conservative, with five steal attempts all (three successful).

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