Softball splits on Friday at USF Under Armour Showcase
Softball team picked up a win against Wagner but fell to Fordham Friday at the USF Under Armour Showcase in Clearwater, Florida.
The Chippewas were hot in the first game, defeating Wagner thanks to a six-run inning late in the game to decimate a one-run lead. Overall, there were 11 hits in the 7-4 victory.
Hits came from a the whole lineup. Senior second baseman Summer Knoop led the team with three hits in four at-bats and two RBI.
Wagner took an early lead in the bottom of the first, due to defensive mistakes by the infield and pitcher Junior Morgan Yunker. Yunker allowed six hits and four runs but stayed on the mound seven innings to earn the win.
The Chippewas wouldn’t stay down long, tying the game in the top of the following inning. A double from Freshman Trista Cox brought in junior Cory DeLamielleure to hold the game at one.
Wagner responded in the bottom of the third to retake the lead 2-1, but would remain scoreless until the seventh. Down by one run, CMU mounted its comeback late in the game. In the top of the sixth the Chippewas turned up their bats, racking up five hits and six runs to overtake the Seahawks.
Knoop began the campaign with a double to right field followed by a CarolAnn Sexauer single bringing in the first run and her 11th RBI of the year. DeLamielleur smoked a triple to give her team the lead.
Sophomore Lauren Smith and Knoop hit two RBI each to make a two run final effort by Wagner futile. After seven, the score stood 7-4.
The Chippewas had a harder time getting the bats moving against Fordham. Rams pitcher Michele Daubman struck out nine batters and gave up only three hits.
Fordham took a one run lead in the fourth but Central Michigan closed the gap immediately in the top of the fifth. Cox stuck out swinging, but reached first on a passed ball and was sent home on a single to left field by senior Brogan Darwin.
Senior Kara Dornbos kept Fordham relatively quiet for the first four innings, but gave up four runs in an explosive fifth inning that put the game out of reach.
Fordham loaded the bases on two errors and a walk, setting the stage for pinch-hitter Taylor Pirone to connect with a two run single. A walk with one out would load the bases again allowing Kayla Lombardo to knock in a two-run single.
Their lead standing at 5-1 in the bottom of the sixth, the Rams loaded the bases for the third time in the game. A ground rule double scored two more runs to finish the game 7-1.
Central Michigan will take the field with games against UMass and Loyola-Marymount on Saturday.
