Home runs doom softball in NCAA opening game 8-1 loss Cal
Early on, it looked like senior pitchers Kara Dornbos and California's Jolene Henderson were going to be locked into a pitchers duel.
After Central Michigan softball took a 1-run lead in the fourth inning, the Golden Bears answered with a three spot in the bottom half of the inning when junior Victoria Jones hit a three-run home run to left field.
From then on, it was all Cal. The Chippewas would go on to lose 8-1 in their first NCAA tournament game since 2004, putting them on the brink of elimination.
"I thought we came out fairly strong against a good Cal team; to score early was huge for us," head coach Margo Jonker said. "I felt that after they scored the three runs, we tightened up a little bit and that we didn't swing the bats as loose."
The home runs didn't stop after the fouth inning.
Jones' home run to left field was followed up by sophomore Danielle Henderson, sister of starting pitcher Jolene, who helped her big sister out with two home runs on the day, one that bounced out of senior left fielder Brogan Darwin's glove in the sixth inning.
Senior Lindsey Ziegenhirt put a hurt on the ball as well in the sixth inning, smacking one off the scoreboard in left field.
"They hit the ball well after (the fourth inning)," Jonker said. "They made a good adjustment (to the strike zone), and we didn't make as good of an adjustment."
Earlier in the game, it looked like this game was going to have a different outcome.
The Golden Bears had the bases loaded with an out in the third, but senior Macy Merchant caught a line drive in center field and was able to double off the runner on second base to escape the inning unharmed.
With the momentum on their side, the Chippewas got runners on first and second off of two Cal errors, and junior catcher Cory DeLamielleure made them count with a single to center field that allowed junior second baseman Brittney Horan to score, giving the team a 1-0 lead midway through the fourth.
But, that's where the wheels fell off for CMU.
"That was pretty exciting, that was great. I wish the game would've been like that all day," Jonker said. "I think (the momentum switched) just before (the home run), but not much."
Dornbos lasted 4.2 innings allowing four earned runs off five hits and four walks, receiving the loss.
Junior Chelsea Sundberg entered the game and gave up four more earned runs on six hits as she went 1.1 innings.
The Chippewas will need to win Saturday at 2:30 when they play the loser of the Michigan and Valparaiso game or else be eliminated from the postseason.
"I just need to bounce back and we'll bounce back tomorrow," Dornbos said. "I just need to have fun and stay smooth out there"
