Softball loses 4-2 Sunday, caps winless weekend
The Central Michigan softball team lost 4-2 Sunday (box score), its fifth straight loss during the weekend.
CMU committed 10 errors over the weekend that led to eight unearned runs.
Sunday against Iowa, the Chippewas scored two runs in the first inning. It was their first lead of the weekend.
It didn’t last long.
The Hawkeyes tied the game in the bottom of the first with four hits. They scored again in the fourth and fifth innings.
CMU sophomore pitcher Chelsea Sundberg earned the loss, her second of the weekend.
The Chippewas did not advance a runner past second base in the rest of the game after their productive first inning.
CMU could not build and maintain a rally during the weekend. Only five times did they accumulate more than a hit in an inning all weekend. The Chippewas hit .209 through their five-loss weekend.
However, junior outfielder Macy Merchant was a bright spot in the CMU lineup, hitting .526 through the weekend, including a 3-for-4 performance as designated hitter on Sunday.
Winless Saturday
The Chippewas lost 7-5 (box score) in the first game Saturday against Iowa.
Sophomore pitcher Morgan Yuncker earned the loss. She gave up four runs on five hits, and struck out one. She also walked three batters.
In the second game of the day, CMU lost 11-3 (box score) against Illinois State. The game ended after six innings.
Junior pitcher Kara Dornbos, who’s considered the team’s ace, took the loss for CMU. She gave up nine runs – only five earned – on eight hits. She walked two and struck out two in 4 2/3 innings.
However, CMU head coach Margo Jonker liked what she saw in Dornbos.
“She was very confident in her pitches,” Jonker said. “I thought she pitched very well.”
Shut out Friday
CMU hit 1-19 in the season-opener against Minnesota that resulted in a 2-0 loss (box score).
“Our offense was taking too many pitches,” Jonker said. “We need to be more aggressive and work on our pitch selection.”
Dornbos earned her first loss of the season in a performance in which she struck out six, but gave up six hits. She also gave up both of Minnesota’s runs, that came in a four-hit seventh inning.
The Chippewas played No. 5 Arizona State in its second game of the day, and were shut out 7-0 (box score).
CMU committed three errors, and gave up a pair of unearned runs. Sundberg took the loss for CMU.
“We competed well,” Jonker said. “You take away a few pitches here and there then we are right in the ball game.”
Upcoming
The Chippewas will play from March 2-11 in Tampa, Florida. On March 2-6, they will play in the University of South Florida Under Armour Invitational.
On March 7-11, CMU will play in the Under Armour Showcase Tournament.
