Softball team sweeps doubleheader against Temple and East Tennessee State
The Central Michigan softball team used a pair of 5-3 victories Friday to start 2-0 in the USF Under Armour Showcase Tournament in Tampa, Fla.
CMU defeated Temple in the opening game before edging East Tennessee State in eight innings.
The Chippewas scored two runs in the third and fifth innings while adding another in the sixth to take a 5-0 lead against Temple. The Owls scored two in the bottom of the seventh making it 5-3, but junior pitcher Kara Dornbos induced a fly-out with a runner on to end the game.
Dornbos earned the win pitching a complete game. She gave up three runs, one earned, while striking out seven.
CMU took an early 1-0 lead against ETSU when Summer Knoop singled in Brittney Horan in the top of the first inning. It extended its lead to 3-0 in the sixth after Molly Coldren scored on a Carol Ann Sexauer sac-fly.
Sophomore pitcher Chelsea Sundberg cruised through the first five innings before running into trouble in the sixth. After retiring the first two batters, she gave up four straight hits which led to two runs before being replaced by Morgan Yuncker.
Yuncker got out of the inning without any more runs scoring, but she gave up the tying run in the bottom of the seventh to send the game to extra innings.
The Chippewas regained the lead by scoring two in the top of the eighth. Chelsea DeLamielleure drove in the game-winning run. Yuncker pitched a scoreless eighth to earn the win.
Junior Macy Merchant reached base six times in the double-header, collecting four hits and two walks.
CMU will continue tournament action tomorrow against Cleveland State at 9:15 a.m. and Fordham at 2 p.m.
