Softball opens season 3-1 at Rosemont Rumble
Central Michigan softball opened its 2014 season with a 3-1 record at the Rosemont Rumble in Illinois this weekend.
Playing two games against Drake University, and one against both the University of Illinois-Chicago and the University of Illinois, the Chippewas came away with a strong look at what is to come this season.
Winning their first three games, two of which came at the expense of Drake, CMU’s pitching was, in short, dominant. Throwing different starters in each of the first three games, the duo of seniors Chelsea Sundberg and Morgan Yuncker, along with freshman Rachael Knapp, allowed just nine hits and two runs.
CMU bested Drake 1-0 on Friday and 6-0 on Saturday, finishing with a 5-2 win against UIC. The Chippewas finished the weekend with a loss to Illinois, 4-1.
Senior catcher Cory DeLamielleure was instrumental in the staff’s pitching success as the one calling the pitches. Both Sundberg and head coach Margo Jonker attributed the staff’s success to DeLamielleure's leadership.
“Anytime our pitchers do well, it means Cory is calling a good game,” Jonker said.
Sundberg agreed with Jonker, and said having Cory behind the plate calling pitches was an important component to her performance. Sundberg and Jonker also cited the team’s defensive play as a factor in its success.
"When the defense plays well, it helps to take some of the pressure off of the staff," Jonker said.
Despite dropping the final game of the weekend to Illinois, Sundberg remained positive.
“It was just another game. You have to learn from the mistakes that were made," she said. "I haven’t lost any confidence."
She allowed just three hits in the shutout win against Drake, and came out of the weekend with a 1.75 ERA.
Offensively, the Chippewas got the biggest production out of senior third baseman Trista Cox. Cox homered three times, recording five RBI's.
“It’s so great to be back on the field with the team," Cox said. "We learned a lot about how we play and we’re excited to keep going. Knowing that the team is so solid one through nine, it makes it easy to play.”
CMU continues its season Friday at the UTA Maverick Invitational in Arlington, Texas.
