Softball splits double-header with Penn at USF Tournament
Central Michigan University’s softball team played its second and third games in four days against the University of Pennsylvania in the USF Tournament on Thursday afternoon.
Game 1
CMU lost the first game of the double-header 3-1, allowing runs in the third, fourth and sixth innings respectively.
“Penn's (Alexis Borden) pitcher is very good,” said Head Coach Margo Jonker.
Borden threw a complete-game surrendering three hits and striking out four Chippewas batters, earning her third win of the season.
Like the first time the Chippewas and Quakers met, offense came at a premium for CMU. The women managed three hits and went 1-for-9 with runners on base.
Jonker’s team was 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position and left six runners on base in the loss.
The Chippewas' lone run came in the top of the sixth inning when senior Kristen Kuhlman scored after reaching base on a throwing error.
Taking the loss on the mound for CMU was freshman Hanna Warren. She threw six innings and gave up six hits on three earned runs while walking one and striking out two.
Game 2
In the second matchup of the day against the Quakers, CMU drew first blood en route to a 4-0 victory.
Freshman outfielder Lacy Tolfree led off the game with a single. Tolfree proceeded to steal second and third base, enabling senior third basemen Trista Cox to score Tolfree on a single.
In the second inning, freshman catcher Maison Kalina hit a solo home run to left field, putting CMU up 2-0. This was followed by an RBI-single by Tolfree to give CMU a 3-0 lead.
“We did a much better job today adjusting and having better at-bats than we did the first time we played,” Jonker said.
The women tacked on one more run in the bottom of the sixth inning on a sacrifice fly by sophomore infielder Taylor Lewallen, plating junior first baseman Katelyn Rentschler
Tolfree went 2-for-4 with one run batted in and one run scored in game number two against Penn.
“(Tolfree) is a tough competitor so I’m very proud of how she has progressed. We’ve seen a lot of progress out of our young players,” Jonker said.
Senior pitcher Rachael Knapp earned her second victory of the season. The St. Joseph native pitched a complete-game one-hit shutout.
“Knapp pitched really well today,” Jonker said. “I’ve been really proud of how she’s progressed from the beginning of the season to now.”
Cox was 1-for-3 with an RBI in the victory.
CMU’s record now sits at 6-11 overall and 4-4 in the USF Tournament.
“We want to make sure our defense stays consistent,” Jonker said. “Defense hasn’t been very consistent the past two games and that’s crucial. We’ve just got to get the key hits.”
Backed by strong second inning, Chippewas down Maine
After four of its first five games of the USF Tournament ended in shutouts, Central Michigan University’s softball team received the offense it needed on Wednesday, defeating the University of Maine 9-5.
After trading three runs early in the game, CMU put up five runs in the top of the second inning to take an 8-3 lead and never looked back.
“We’ve really got to get the key hit in a game,” Jonker said. “A lot of it depends on the opposing pitcher as well as our offensive players.”
Senior pitcher Taylor Weaver made her second start of the USF Tournament, going six and two-thirds innings, giving up five hits while striking out 11 and walking two.
