Softball team takes weekend off after doubleheader sweep
The CMU softball team enters its weekend off with nine wins in its last 10 games as the non-conference schedule nears its end.
Its last two victories came on the road during Wednesday’s doubleheader against Detroit Mercy. CMU (12-7) won the opening game 9-0 and followed with an 8-0 victory.
Junior second baseman Brittini Merchant started the scoring in the second game with a two-run home run, her second of the season.
Redshirt freshman catcher Brogan Darwin followed with a two-run homer in the fourth inning, and junior designated hitter Amanda Patrick added a three-run homer in the top of the fifth.
MAC PLAY LOOMS
With conference games a week away, the team has relied on consistent power from its offense. CMU has outscored its opponents 66–16 in its past 10 games. It leads the MAC with a .426 slugging percentage and is third in the conference with a .277 batting average.
Defensively, it has kept its opponent to fewer than three runs per game in that span. Central coach Margo Jonker said the team came out and set the tone early in Wednesday’s games.
“The team hit early and had good power, knocking the ball out of the park, which is always fun to see,” she said.
Redshirt freshman Sarah Patterson pitched four shutout innings, giving up two hits and striking out six. Sophomore Courtney King relieved her in the fifth inning, holding the Titans scoreless as well. The win was Patterson’s first of her collegiate career.
“Sarah hasn’t seen a lot of time and really stepped up today,” Jonker said. “She got ahead of the count early and stayed ahead and, when you can do that, you tend to be successful.”
By NCAA rule, after five innings of play, an eight-run lead at the end of an inning marks the end of the game.
GAME 1
That mercy rule was necessary in the first game as well, this time taking six innings after another high-scoring game for the CMU offense.
Senior outfielder Christina Novak started the game with a single and scored after back-to-back steals and a wild pitch that sent her home.
Sophomore shortstop Molly Coldren followed with a two-run homer. She finished the day with three RBI’s, which puts her tied for third in the MAC with 16.
Novak put the game away in the sixth inning, emptying the bases with a grand slam, and shutting down Detroit’s hopes of a comeback. CMU’s nine-run lead was enough to mercy its opponent after six innings.
Freshman Kara Dornbos pitched the first five innings, giving up Detroit’s only hit in the bottom of the fourth. She also added three walks and four strikeouts in her fifth win of the season. Patterson finished the game in the circle, giving up no hits and striking out two.
The team finished with one error on the day, while Detroit (2-8) finished with six. CMU next plays Wednesday against Oakland for a home doubleheader at Margo Jonker Stadium. The two games are the last before the MAC schedule opens Friday.
